[Kaleb Bogau (deceased) & Efrando Sabarofek in Timika Hospital]
Media release 29/09/15
Monday evening, September 28, Indonesian Police shot two Senior High School Students in Gorong Gorong, Timika, West Papua. Around 7pm Kaleb Bogau (17 years old) was shot in the chest and died on the scene. Efrando Sabarofek (also 17 years old) was shot in the chest and leg and is in a critical condition in the Timika hospital.
The family of Kaleb Bogau has treated this case as a political assassination. Kaleb Bogau was the son of KNPB (Committee National West Papua) activist Reverend Obed Bogau from Kingme Church. Kaleb Bogau body was taken from Timika hospital by his family to the KNPB office.
Obed Bogau is also reported to have received a text message apology from Paulus Waterpau, the Regional Chief of Police (Kapolda), based in Jayapura, Papua. It is reported that Obed Bogau refused the apology message from Waterpau saying that Indonesia had killed so many Papuans and was treating them like animals. He asked the Police to properly investigate this case and, additionally, the recent killing of Kamoro students by military at a traditional ceremony in the Catholic church in Timika last month.
The KNPB is a non-violent movement seeking Independence from Indonesia, comprising mostly youth and students who are active in all major centres across Papua.
Within the past year there have been at least five cases of civilian shootings in Papua by soldiers or police force. A total of eight people have died as a result.
Paula Makabory representing the Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights said today, “This Indonesian police assassination is directed against Papuan youth and the KNPB in an attempt to quell political protest by a new generation of Papuans. This political assassination of a West Papuan youth should draw international condemnation.”
Paula Makabory also stated, “The Pacific Island Forum this month has talked about sending a Human Rights fact finding mission to West Papua. The Indonesian foreign minister had said it was wrong for the Pacific Island Forum to speak about the internal affairs of Indonesia. The Australian and New Zealand Government appear to have sided with Indonesia to attempt to sideline attempts for International access and attention to the Human Rights situation.”
“It is clearly time that our brothers and sisters in the Pacific and wider international community condemn Indonesia for its callous & vicious State control over the West Papuan people”.
For Further Information contact: Paula Makabory +61 (0) 423451540
Or Matthew Jamieson +61 (0) 418291998 <matthew@hr.minihub.org>
Chronology of Events
A witness says the two students who were shot were sitting with other friends in a public place near to the Biak residential housing complex in Gorong Gorong, Timika 28/09/15. This witness also reported that four police officers approached the group and one police officer asked if there was any trouble, intimating that the group of youths were making trouble.
Other reports state that Police trucks came to the housing complex and questioned a civilian; “Where is young people who making the trouble situation here?” The housing complex was reportedly peaceful up to the time when the police arrived.
It is reported in the media and elsewhere that someone in the complex said to the police that the young people are always there and that their parents are members of the OPM. (OPM is the banned organisation of the West Papuan liberation movement)
The witness reported that the youth group began to move back to the nearby housing complex. The housing complex was reportedly surrounded by a large contingent of police, including three trucks, 15 motorbikes and three police cars.
As a result Kaleb Bogau and Efrando Sabarofek ran reportedly scared from the police operation. Kaleb Bogau and Efrando Sabarofek and the others ran along the path toward the housing complex and then into a group of police. The three students were shot by police in different locations in this vicinity. Both of the serious shooting victims where then transferred by police to Timika hospital. The third victim is reported to have escaped with a less serious gunshot wound.
Local witness in Gorong Gorong also report that when residents found out that Kaleb Bogau had been shot dead they tried to determine who had initially called the police to the site. Local people then staged a demonstration, which became a riot and one house was burnt. The Police who stayed on the scene then fired into the crowd, injuring three more persons one girl and two boys. These persons were reportedly not admitted to hospital as they feared for their safety.
Another such incident recently in Timika highlights Indonesia’s intelligence operations against the KNPB. On Friday night 25/09/15 from 8pm until midnight a drone with a camera presumed to come from Indonesian Secret Intelligence Agency was seen hovering outside the KNPB office in Timika. This drone was shot down with a traditional bow and arrow. The drone was then identified as a Zyna brand drone with its control located across the street from the KNPB office.
See: https://www.facebook.com/nesta.gimbal/posts/952180298196612?pnref=story
Demonstration in Timika 29/09/15
Today local people in Timika have staged a further demonstration as result of the police shooting. The Freeport copper mine, which is the worlds’ richest copper and gold mining deposit, is serviced from Timika. This region has a long held reputation for having the worse record of Human Rights abuses in Indonesia, primarily perpetrated by Indonesian police and military.
Police in Timika 29/09/15
Police in Timika 29/09/15
Also see recent report about Timika and Papuan killings in http://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/papua-shootings-09172015183311.html
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