JOINT MILITYARY, POLICE AND MOBILE BRIGADE WILDLY ATTACKED WAMENA CUSTOMARY COMMUNTY WHO WERE CELEBRATING WORLD INDIGENOUS DAY

WWW.INFOPAPUA.ORG

West Papua News and Information

West Papua Net | Free West Papua Campaign (UK) | West Papua Action (Ireland)

Last Updated: Aug 9th, 2008 - 17:02:48


	INFO PAPUA
	Guerilla
	Political & Diplomacy
	Editorial/ Opinion
	United Nations Review
	West Papua News
	Awareness
	Political Dialogue

	Statements

	Papuan Human Rights

	Eco-Terrorism

	Indo Neocolonialism

	Refugee Issue

	War on Terror

	Melanesia Roundup

	WARTA PAPUA MERDEKA DALAM GAMBAR

PLEASE HELP US:

DONATE with PayPal

We need your support to keep our websites and campaigns going.

We need your contributions to assist us with our Human Rights campaigns.

Please use the PayPal Donate button above to help the people of West Papua

Advanced Search

INFO PAPUA

JOINT MILITYARY, POLICE AND MOBILE BRIGADE WILDLY ATTACKED WAMENA CUSTOMARY COMMUNTY WHO WERE CELEBRATING WORLD INDIGENOUS DAY
By WPNews Wamena
Aug 9, 2008, 15:58

Email this article
Printer friendly page

A local customary council had prepared a celebration of world indigenous day that took place this morning, Saturday, 09 August 2008 in the Baliem valley. The situation in Baliem was calm and peace and the Koteka Task Force had been working very hard to make sure that the event was successful and to ensure that people would not be provoked to do any negative actions.

However, before the actual day of the celebration, Indonesian intelligence agencies namely BIN-BAIS and BAKIN had provoked native Papuans and told them that the TPN (National Freedom Armed Soldier) of West Papua would handle the celebration. The TNI (Indonesian National Army) therefore would strongly oppose the celebration. This issue was spread out among Baliem people to prevent them from celebrating the indigenous world day.

The indigenous world day was attended by all customary community who live in Baliem region. Main events of the celebration are: First, a solemn welcome ceremony was presented to welcome guests from several nations. Second, committee of the celebration read speeches about declaration of customary community. Third, flags raising was performed to honour heroes who had sacrificed their lives to defend the existence and dignity of customary
people. Four flags were raised in the ceremony. They are:

1.White flag which reflects emergency to show that Papua is in an emergency situation and therefore it needs the UN attention.
2.The United Nations Flag;
3.The Morning Star flag (West Papuan Independence Flag);
4.Indonesian National Flag.

At 2.00pm when all flags were flying suddenly, within 28 minutes, four Indonesian forces; TNI, POLRI, KOPASSUS and Mobile Brigade jointly attacked the people. They were not wearing any military uniforms but they did hold military weapons.

The people who were attacked by Indonesian military and police were not frightened and did not move backward. All the Baliem people and guests from Western countries who were part of the ceremony stood and formed a line. They were witnessing how cruel Indonesian soldiers attacking people from 200 meters distance. The military and police failed to force people away from the location of the ceremony.

In the attack, Indonesian military/police shot death OPINUS TABUNI (32 years old), a customary civilian from Pyramid district. Opinus was shot by a mobile brigade personnel from a 4-meter distance.

Until the time we confirmed this report with the committee of the indigenous day celebration, several customary leaders have been arrested and taken to Jayawijaya police head quarter.

According to the committee of the celebration, Opinus body will not be buried but will wait for a special investigation by UN envoy. The UN envoy is expected to visit Baliem valley to investigate human right violations which has occurred in West Papua since the integration of West Papua in to the territorial of the Republic of Indonesia until the time of the killing of Opinus Tabuni.

This is the latest update that we could send out from the location of the incident.

Reporter,

Bomanak
People�s servant.

=================================================