The body of Rufianus Tigau found by residents has been buried and covered in banana leaves

Jayapura, Jubi - Regarding the shooting incident in Jalae Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Province which killed Rufinus Tigau and injured a child named Herman Kobagau, on Monday (26/10/2020), Timika Diocese confirmed that Rufinus Tigau was right oneCatechist working at Stasi Jalae Catholic Church.“Rufinus has been working as a catechist at Saint Michaelel Bilogai Parish since 2015.rufinus was appointed as a catechist by the parish priest of Saint Michaelel Bilogai, Father Yustinus Rahangier Pr, replacing the dead catechist, Mr. Frans Wandagau, ”explained the Diocesan Administrator for Timika diocese, Pastor Marthen Kuayo, as stated in a press release received by Jubi atJayapura, Papua, Tuesday (27/10/2020).Furthermore, Pastor Marthen Kuayo said Rufinus helped the Pastor in Jalae Parish because the pastor who served in Jalae was not a local person so he did not understand the local language and other matters related to the local cultural context.

Before the shooting of Rufinus, said Father Marthen Kuayo, a catechist at the Emondi Stasi Church, Agustinus Duwitau (who was sworn in after Rufinus' inauguration) was also shot by security forces on 7 October 2020.

Augustine is shot down on his way to Emondi. currently Agustinus is still undergoing treatment because of the gunshot wound he sustained.

"Parishes or churches always need people who go to school or can read and write to become preachers like Rafinus," said Pasor Kuayo.

In worship every Sunday, said Pastor Kuayo, preachers also stand in front of the pulpit together with the pastor. because the pastor reads the Bible and preaches in Indonesian, the preacher immediately translates orally in the local language, so that people who do not understand Indonesian can understand and participate in worship.

"In the Christmas event with the Catechists, Rufinus became the translator of the sermon in the local language. the accusation that Rafinus was involved in a separatist movement or armed group which he was accused of is false, ”said Father Marthen Kuayo.

Currently, the Diocese of Timika is compiling a report and a chronology of the shooting incident that killed Rafinus.

Also read: Timika Diocese confirms Rafinus Tigau is a Catholic church preacher

As previously reported, a Catholic church reporter, Rafianus Tigau, Monday (26/10/2020), was shot dead by Indonesian security forces on duty in Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Province. Besides Rafinus Tigau, a child named Megianus Kobagau was injured because of a recoset shot that was fired by the security forces.

A resident of Sugapa, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Province, who was contacted by Jubi, said that Rafinus' body was found near his house, buried in a hole covered with banana leaves.

"The Indonesian National Police have been in Jalae since 5.00 am. They said they wanted to go after TPNPB. but TPNPB is far from the village. We'll hear gunfire. We don't know who can shoot. After there was no gunshot, then we checked out of the house. We just realized Rafinus wasn't there. So we looked for it, it turned out that he was buried in a hole covered in banana leaves, ”said this Sugapa resident.

Separately, the security forces carrying out the sweep in Jalae said Rufinus was a member of the Armed Separatist Criminal Group (KKSB) as they are called the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).

"This is the result of post-development of the TGPF blockade by KKSB on 9 October. From the results of the development and collection of information from the community, accurate information was obtained that one of the KKSB groups was headquartered in Jalae Village, Sugapa District, "said the Head of Information for Kogabwilhan III, Col. Czi IGN Suriastawa. (*)

📷West papua 26 October 2020

Papua Liberation Army sold arms by Indonesian military

West Papua Liberation Army fighters. Photo: Supplied.

A guerilla force waging war for independence in West Papua has revealed it's been buying weapons from Indonesia's military.

The West Papua Liberation Army has been embroiled in intensified conflict with Indonesian security forces in the highlands interior of Papua region since 2018.

West Papua Liberation Army fighters. West Papua Liberation Army fighters. Photo: Supplied.

A highlands regional commander of the Liberation Army, Brigadier General Egianus Kogeya, has revealed that he purchased weapons and ammunition from the Indonesian military and police.

Kogeya's fighters have claimed responsibility for numerous deadly attacks in the past two years, including the massacre of at least nineteen Indonesian road construction workers in Nduga in December 2018.

According to Suara Papua, Papua Police Chief, Paulus Waterpauw, said the circulation of firearms and ammunition remained a serious concern for the security forces, especially in the Papua Regional Police.

The military or TNI has also recognised the pattern. In February, a military court in Jayapura jailed three TNI members for hvaing supplied ammunition to armed criminal groups in Papua. One of those convicted was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Kogeya said he bought ammunition and weapons from the TNI and Police because that was their way of accessing food while posted in Papua.

He explained that usually the security forces connect with the Liberation Army for the arms sales by communicating through subordinates in the field.

After approval by their superiors, the transaction proceeds, Kogeya said.

Source: Papua Liberation Army sold arms by Indonesian military | RNZ News

TNI says Papua Liberation Army’s Mugi headquarters seized

West Papua rebels unite to form new army

Armed rebel groups in Indonesia’s West Papua have reportedly united to form a new army under a single command.

A release from the office of the chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Benny Wenda, says it’s the first time the three major factions have come under a single arm.

Under the This ‘Vanimo Border Declaration’, the Liberation Movement is taking political leadership of the new grouping, formed today and dubbed the West Papua Army.

Mr Wenda says they are ready to take over Papua and are calling for international and domestic support.

“We welcome any assistance in helping us achieve our liberation. Indonesia cannot stigmatise us as separatists or criminals any more, we are a legitimate unified military and political state-in-waiting,”

he said in a statement.

The new force includes the West Papua Liberation Army, which is fighting a bloody war with state forces in Nduga regency.

Also joining the united front are the West Papuan National Army and the West Papua Revolutionary Army.

Source: https://www.rnz.co.nz

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via IFTTT July 01, 2019 at 10:37AM

West Papuan independence group says it is ‘ready to take over country’

Three rebel armies fighting for liberation from Indonesia join forces under movement headed by exiled leader Benny Wenda

Helen Davidson

Three rebel West Papuan armies have joined forces under the control of the independence movement, led by exiled leader Benny Wenda, who says they are now “ready to take over our country”.

It comes as Indonesian authorities increase efforts in their search for five soldiers and nine crew from a military resupply helicopter which went missing on Friday.

West Papua, which shares an island with Papua New Guinea, has been under Indonesian control since 1969 and is in the grip of a long-running independence conflict.

The armed groups unified last month under the command of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) – the umbrella organisation for three independence groups.

“Politically and militarily we are united now. The international community can now see without a doubt that we are ready to take over our country,” said Wenda, the chair of the ULMWP.

“Indonesia cannot stigmatise us as separatists or criminals any more, we are a legitimate unified military and political state-in-waiting.”

The groups include the TPNPB, which attacked a construction site in December, reportedly killing 17 Indonesians.

The incident sparked a military crackdown in the region,claiming dozens of lives on both sides.

Shortly after the attack Wenda told the Guardian he could not stop the TPNPB, but called for calm.

Bobby Anderson, Papua researcher and fellow at Chiang Mai University’s School of Public Policy, cautioned that the rebel groups had previously announced unifications which had amounted to nothing.

“This declaration of a unified command might just be the ULMWP trying to grab some of the momentum from the Nduga actions,” said Anderson.

“We won’t know if it’s real until we see coordinated armed actions both in Nduga and beyond, that will demonstrate that the ULMWP declaration is a reality.

“I personally have my doubts. These [armed separatist] factions abound with ‘generals’ who don’t tend to take orders. They operate within limited commands in discrete areas.”

However Anderson said having the leadership of Wenda might make the difference, and an “unprecedented” unified command would see increased bloodshed.

“He managed to cobble together the ULMWP from civilian representatives of the disparate Papua independence groups and that it’s held this long is impressive.”

The unification marks another new development in the long-running conflict, just days after it was revealed West Papuan children have been drawn into the fighting.

TPNPB has acknowledged the presence of teenage and adolescent boys among its ranks, the Associated Pressreported last month.

The use of children as soldiers is a war crime under international law.

Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman said it was a sign the conflict was far more serious than the rest of the world acknowledged.

“West Papua needs urgent international intervention, because child soldiers are themselves victims,” she said.

“The Indonesian government’s security approach has created an intractable conflict by brutalising generation after generation of West Papuans.”

Reports of military and rebel violence in the region have continued through this year, including claims of the Indonesian armed forcesallegedly using white phosphorus, and rebel attacks on soldiers, something Jakarta denies.

Source: https://amp.theguardian.com/

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via IFTTT July 02, 2019 at 09:20AM

NZ desak kekerasan bersenjata di Papua harus dihentikan sebelum negosiasi

Indonesian military dismisses negotiation with Papuan guerillas

Indonesia’s military says negotiation with the West Papua Liberation Army can only take place if both sides have the same goal.

Humanitarian concern is growing for villagers displaced by armed conflict in the Highlands between the Liberation Army and Indonesia’s military.

Indonesian military operations intensified in the region after the Liberation Army massacred at least 16 road construction workers in Nduga regency in December.

The Liberation Army had indicated it was willing to negotiate a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

But Indonesia’s military spokesman, Colonel Muhammad Aidi, said this would be difficult.

“The aim of Indonesia’s Military is to preserve the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia. If the purpose of the “armed criminal group” is to be independent from Indonesia, surely the dialogue or negotiation will never be realised.”

Source: RadioNZ

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via IFTTT March 09, 2019 at 09:19AM

West Papua: up to 15 dead as rebels and Indonesian soldiers clash

Deaths reported on both sides in firefight during work on trans-Papua highway 

As many as 15 people are believed to have been killed in a firefight between Indonesian soldiers and Papuan independence fighters, adding to more than two dozen deaths in the simmering conflict since November.

Indonesia’s military said three of its soldiers, and seven to 10 independence fighters, died on Thursday when a force of 50 to 70 rebels carrying firearms as well as spears and arrows attacked a group of 25 soldiers in a battle lasting several hours.

Sebby Sambom, a spokesman for the West Papua National Liberation Army, said five soldiers were killed and admitted no deaths for the Papuans. Both sides claimed to have captured weapons.

Muhammad Aidi, the military spokesman for Indonesia’s easternmost Papua region, said the soldiers had arrived in the area to guard work on the trans Papua highway and the attack was unprovoked. According to Sambom, the soldiers had burned traditional dwellings and interrogated villagers.

Two helicopters sent to take the bodies of the three killed soldiers to the mining town of Timika were shot at but eventually landed after Indonesian forces returned fire, Aidi said.

The highlands district was the location of a December attack by Papuan fighters on workers at a construction site for the trans Papua highway that killed 19. Large numbers of people have been displaced by military and police security operations since the attack.

At least 31 people have died since early November in an apparent escalation of attacks by the West Papua National Liberation Army. The figure doesn’t include unconfirmed civilian deaths that Papuan activists say resulted from security operations.

An insurgency has simmered in Papua, which makes up the western half of the island of New Guinea, since the early 1960s when Indonesia annexed the Dutch-controlled territory.

Discrimination against indigenous Papuans and abuses by Indonesian police and military have drawn renewed attention globally as Indonesia campaigns for membership in the UN’s human rights watchdog.

The exiled leader of the Papuan independence movement, Benny Wenda, in January presented a 1.8m-signature petition calling for self-determination to the UN human rights chief in Geneva.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/

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via IFTTT March 08, 2019 at 02:05PM