Jakarta – The commander of the Cenderawasih/XVII Regional Military Command (Kodam), Major General Izak Pangemanan, has revealed the chronology of the abuse committed by TNI (Indonesian military) soldiers against a member of an armed criminal group (KKB) in Central Papua.
Pangemanan said that the incident took place on February 3, 2024. Initially, there were three KKB members who allegedly wanted to burn down a community healthcare center (Puskesmas) in Puncak regency, Central Papua.
"Our members received reports from the public that there was a KKB group that wanted to burn down the Puskesmas", said Pangemanan during a press conference at the TNI Headquarters (Mabes TNI) Sub-Detachment in Central Jakarta on Monday March 25.
Pangemanan explained that there had been an armed contact between the three KKB members and the TNI and Polri (Indonesian police). Following this, they were able to arrest the three KKB members.
The KKB members were Warinus Kogoya, Alianus Murid and Defianus Kogoya.
"We went there together with the police with all the authorities there to secure this Puskesmas, because the Puskesmas is needed by the community to provide healthcare", he said.
After being arrested, the three KKB members were taken to the local district police. However, one of the KKB members named Warinus Kogoya died because he tried to escape by jumping from a car.
Not only that, continued Pangemanan, the other two KKB members also managed to escape but were able to be recaptured by security personnel at the Gome district border. According to Pangemanan, it was after they were recaptured that they were abused by the TNI members.
"It was there that they carried out the abuse", he said. "But after that they were taken to the Puskesmas, then treated and returned to the community. So now they are in good health after being returned to their families", he added.
Pangemanan claimed that the KKB members who were tortured by the TNI soldiers were now healthy and had been returned to their families. Meanwhile the 13 TNI soldiers suspected of abusing the KKB members have been detained.
The head of the Army's information office (Kadispenad), Kristomei Sianturi, said that 13 soldiers who came from the 300 Raider (Yonif) Infantry Battalion are being held at a military detention facility with maximum security. They were immediately declared suspects. (mab/tsa)
Notes
The video (warning: contains graphic, violent content and viewer discression is advised) of the Papuan man being tortured by TNI soldiers can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJgAHYdLgVo (requires registration), or from the United Liberation for West Papua (ULMWP) website at: https://www.ulmwp.org/president-wenda-a-crime-against-humanity-has-been-committed-in-yahukimo.
A earlier CNN Indonesia report quoted TNI Information Centre Director (Kapuspen) Major General Nugraha Gumilar as identifying the Papuan man in the video as being Definus Kogoya (spelt Defianus Kogoya in this article). This article also suggests that that both Alianus Murid and Defianus Kogoya were "abused" (dianiaya) after being recaptured.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "TNI Ungkap Kronologi Penganiayaan di Papua Tengah".]
