More than eight months have passed since joint security forces killed four indigenous Papuans at the Limbaga Mountain in the Puncak Regency. The incident caused the death of two minors, while seventeen-year-old Manus Murib sustained multiple bullet injuries as he escaped the execution. Neither the police nor the military has published any investigation results about the case although the victim’s relatives raised their voices demanding the prompt prosecution of the perpetrators.
A video recently received from Papuan human rights defenders shows a public assembly held on 21 December 2020 (see photo, source: independent human rights defender). The assembly was also attended by representatives of the military, police and the local government. One of the relatives reads aloud a public statement, which was later handed over to the local parliament and government in the Puncak Regency.
The relatives called upon:
1. the president of Indonesia and the ministry for internal affairs as well as the coordinating ministry for political, legal and security affairs to the withdrawal of all non-organic security forces from West Papua
2. the regent and local parliament of Puncak Regency to limit the deployment of non-organic security forces
3. the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to thoroughly investigate the execution of four indigenous Papuans at the Limbaga mountain on 20 November 2020 and identify the perpetrators for further legal prosecution
4. the Indonesian army to cancel the plan of setting up additional military posts in the Gome district
5. the Indonesian Government to open access to West Papua for foreign journalists and allow international media coverage in West Papua
The statement closed with the relative’s rejection of the Government’s plan to prolong the special autonomy status for West Papua.
