The TNI (Indonesian military) and police personnel will never retreat even a single step in enforcing the law against the killers
Timika, Papua (ANTARA) - Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Mathius D. Fakhiri has vowed to trace and crack down on the killers of the two teachers in Beoga Sub-district, Puncak District, last week.

"The TNI (Indonesian military) and police personnel will never retreat even a single step in enforcing the law against the killers," Fakhiri stated in Timika, Mimika District, on Tuesday.

Fakhiri noted that persistent efforts would be made by the law enforcement units to hunt the killers of the two teachers and crack down on them.

Speaking in connection with the received information, Fakhiri noted that various armed Papuan criminal groups operating in Papua's mountainous areas were instructed by Lek Gakak Telenggen to gather in Ilaga, the capital of Puncak District, to resolve the customary matters of tribal wars.

"The armed Papuan criminals operating in Beoga also joined the Ilaga gathering. However, they then conducted inhuman acts of terror, including shooting dead teachers," he stated.

The notorious armed criminals also attempted to torch a parked PT Ersa Air helicopter awaiting repair at Aminggaru Airport in Ilaga on Sunday evening (April 11), Fakhiri remarked.

Based on the information, the armed criminals set ablaze the helicopter since they became infuriated after not receiving the ransom that the Puncak district government had given to the Beoga-based armed criminal group.

The ransom was offered to meet the armed group's demand for allowing a Dabi Air aircraft carrying the coffins of the two slain teachers to take off for Timika on Saturday.

"That is just the information that we received. May we be able to arrest them to enable us to know their real criminal motives," Fakhiri stated.

Several armed Papuan criminals opened fire at a kiosk in Julukoma Village on Thursday (April 8) at about 9:30 a.m. local time.

The shooting incident resulted in the death of a Beoga public elementary school teacher, Oktovianus Rayo.

After killing Rayo, the armed attackers continued their acts of terror by torching three classrooms of the Beoga public senior high school.

On Friday (April 9), the armed Papuan criminals again assaulted another teacher, Yonatan Randen. This junior high school teacher was shot on his chest.

Several villagers attempted to save Randen's life by moving him to the Beoga public health center, but he died.

On Sunday evening (April 11), the armed criminals again committed violence by setting ablaze nine classrooms of the Beoga public junior high school.

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Translator: E.Supar, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
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