SUARA BAPTIS DI TANAH PAPUA

Press Release Report – By Nick Chesterfield – West Papua Media Alerts.

October 4 1800 AEST: Information has just been received from sources in Wamena that Indonesian security forces have shot dead three West Papuan men who were part of the newly formed civil people’s guard. Members of Petapa, the indigenous non-violent security force formed by the Papuan Customary Council to protect West Papuan people engaging in peaceful free expression, were attempting to defuse a tense situation caused by an Indonesian police raid at 0800 local time this morning.

A crowd had gathered outside the Jayawijaya Police headquarters peacefully but vibrantly demanding the return of uniforms and legally approved paraphernalia for the Petapa, or Regional Indigenous Council Civil Bodyguard. Police officers escalated the situation without warning and with full force, as they came running from the Police office firing live rounds into the air and at the crowd according to witnesses interviewed by a local human rights team today.

ISMAIL LOKOBAL, 34, died after being shot in the heart outside the local DAP (Dewan Adat Papua, or Papuan Customary Council) office. POLRI officers had chased the crowd, firing indiscriminately toward them, and chased down most of the victims as they attempted to seek refuge in the DAP office.

AMOS Wetipo, 42 was shot in the head, and FRANS LOKOBAL, 36 was shot in the wrist. Both men are in a critical condition from bloodloss, but it is unknown at time writing if they have been provided medical treatment, or are likely to survive.

LAORENS LOGO, 38; Johanis HESELO, 41; Aleks Wetapo, 35; Oto Wetapo, 36; all members of the Regional Indigenous Council Civil Bodyguard, have been arrested, severely beaten by Police and are being held at Polres Jayawijaya. The situation is being described currently as extremely tense. A dispersal order and curfew is being enforced, but it is unclear whether local people are going to accept the killings.