Amnesty International: Indonesian Forces in Papua Suspects in 19 Extrajudicial Killings

“We have managed to squeeze a group of insurgents under their leader Joni Botak away from their area of operations at Mimika regency,” said Papua Regional Police chief Inspector General Mathius D. Fakhiri.

“The insurgents used to operate near the area of the Tembagapura district, which is the base of operations by US mining giant Freeport. Now they are retreating north towards the mountains bordering the Puncak Jaya regency.”

Mathius added that the insurgents’ move towards unfamiliar territory will deprive them of their support from towns or local people.

Among the most notable victims of the Papua insurgency are Yeremia Zanambani, a Christian pastor who was killed in Intan Jaya regency in September 2020.

The Indonesian military maintained that the cleric was killed in the crossfire, while the insurgents insisted that Indonesian forces executed Yeremia. The controversy prompted his family to request an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

(Writers: Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Dhias Suwandi, Jayapura Contributor | Editors: Bayu Galih, Dheri Agriesta)

Sources: 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/04/07/15501201/amnesty-catat-19-dugaan-pembunuhan-oleh-aparat-di-papua-sepanjang-2020. 

https://regional.kompas.com/read/2021/04/07/174713378/kkb-pimpinan-joni-botak-disebut-semakin-terjepit-kapolda-papua-mereka.