Human rights body demands end to alleged harassment<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A coordinator of a human rights body has
\ndemanded the National Police chief order an end to the alleged
\nharassment of Institute for Human Rights Research and Advocacy
\n(Elsham) executive Johanes G. Bonay.<\/p>\n
\"We condemn the security administration's actions for
\nviolating human rights and the law in their attempts to settle
\nthe Dec. 7 incident in Abepura, which sacrificed the civilians
\nwho had no knowledge of the incident,\" Munarman, the coordinator
\nof the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence,
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said Irian Jaya Police had questioned Bonay since Dec. 16
\nfor his investigative reports on the police's actions against
\nrioters alleged to have attacked the Abepura Police station on
\nDec. 7, in which two police officers were killed and two others
\ninjured.<\/p>\n
In response to the attack, Munarman said the police had abused
\nlocal residents.<\/p>\n
He said the police chief had ordered some officers to raid
\nseveral students' dormitories, such as Nimmin dormitory in
\nJayawijaya, IMI dormitory in Puncak Jaya, Yapen dormitory in
\nWaropen. The police also searched residents' homes.<\/p>\n
Munarman said during the raid, police shot dead Elkius
\nSuhuniab, 18, a senior high school student of the Yali tribe in
\nJayawijaya. His body was identified at the hospital morgue on
\nDec. 8 by a relative.<\/p>\n
He said the police had also detained 101 local residents at
\nAbepura Police station and Irian Jaya Police Headquarters for no
\nclear reasons.<\/p>\n
\"Ninety-six of the 101 arrested residents were severely
\ntortured. Two teenagers who lived in the Jayawijaya Nimmin
\ndormitory, Johny K, 18, a college student, and Orry Doronggi, 17,
\na student at the Jayapura state vocational high school, were
\nkilled,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said police had issued discriminative and racial statements
\naccusing Wamena residents of vandalizing the police station and
\nkilling two police officers.<\/p>\n
During the raid, Munarman said, the police also illegally
\nconfiscated Rp 10 million (US$1,052) of locals' money and several
\nvaluable items, such as a bank savings book, a radio, a pair of
\nshoes and 24 arrows.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Jakarta-based Elsham activist Amiruddin regretted
\nthe police's actions against Bonay.<\/p>\n
\"As a human rights watchdog, Elsam has the responsibility of
\nissuing various statements according to the facts and data
\navailable. If the police were professional, they would not
\ninvestigate Bonay, but follow up on Elsham's reports,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Amiruddin said the police's actions were considered to be
\nharrassment of humanitarian workers.<\/p>\n
\"The Irian Jaya Police have denied their actions and even
\naccused Elsam of telling lies in an effort to hide from the
\nmistakes they made,\" he said. (01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/human-rights-body-demands-end-to-alleged-harassment-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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