"We appeal to the Indonesian police to crack down on the killers of these innocent civilians," chairperson of the Laskar Merah Putih-Papua chapter, Jan Christian Arebo, told ANTARA here on Friday.
Those who attacked the traditional gold miners in Seradala sub-district, Yahukimo district, on October 16, 2023, should be arrested immediately and brought to justice, he said.
According to the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force, the attack on the miners was launched by members of the Egianus Kogoya-led armed group.
The task force personnel evacuated the bodies of the 7 miners -- Udin, Maun, Ardi, Hendra, Anju, Appe, and Siger. They also rescued 11 others who survived the assault.
The miners who survived the attack were identified as Amiman (33), Abdul Azis alias Nene Azis (53), Erwin (36), Abd. Rahmansyah (31), Abdul Samad (53), Renaldi (28), Hermudin (42), Bebwng (41), Markus Tumpia Mallo (35), Ahmad Saleh Ohe (21), and Holden (48).
ANTARA has reported earlier that over the past few years, armed Papuan groups have often employed hit-and-run tactics against Indonesian security personnel and mounted acts of terror against civilians in the districts of Intan Jaya, Nduga, and Puncak to instill fear among the people.
The targets of such acts of terror have included construction workers, motorcycle taxi (ojek) drivers, teachers, students, street food vendors, and also civilian aircraft.
On December 2, 2018, for instance, a group of armed Papuan rebels brutally killed 31 workers from PT Istaka Karya who were engaged in the Trans Papua project in Kali Yigi and Kali Aurak in Yigi sub-district, Nduga district.
Such acts of violence continued to occur in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
This year, a group of armed Papuan separatists attacked a civilian aircraft owned by Susi Air on February 7. They burned the plane at Paro Airfield, Nduga district, and captured its pilot, Captain Philip Mark Marthens.
On October 19, 2023, Papua rebels assaulted several workers at a medical center project in the Kepala Air area of Puncak district, Central Papua, using rifles and arrows. One worker died and two others were injured in the attack.
Nineteen workers survived the attack, which took place around 1 p.m. local time, according to chief of the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force, Sen.Coms.Faizal Ramadhani.
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Translator: Yudhi E, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
