Source: JUBI
Translated by Tapol

The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor, Imparsial, in Jakarta has urged the police in Papua to arrest those members of Brimob, the elite police force that shot five Papuans in Location45 where they were panning for gold in Degeuwo on Wednesday 16 May.

The director of Imparsial, Poengky Indarti, furthermore said that the involvement of Brimob in this matter was a violation of the regulations, and even more regrettable was the fact that people had been shot and wounded, one of whom had died.

She said that Brimob is a force which was set up to handle major conflicts, not to deal with minor infringements like unauthorised panning of gold, and to face the possibility of attack from abroad. Brimob is regarded as para-military.

The five men who were shot and hit on Wednesday were: Melianus Abaa, 40 years old, who was shot from behind, the bullet penetrated his chest and he died as a result; Lukas Gegepa, 30 yrs, who was shot in the stomach; Alpius Kegepa, who was shot in the right arm; Amos Kegepa, 30 yrs, who was hit in one of this legs. The fifth man shot was Yulianus Wegepa, who was hit in the back.

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