Injured student in critical condition<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Steven Suripatty, the university student who was
\nshoot by soldiers on Friday during a clash with demonstrators in
\nJayapura, Irian Jaya, remained in a coma yesterday as community
\nleaders strongly condemned the irresponsible actions of the
\nmilitary personnel responsible.<\/p>\n
Dr J. Oyong, head of the general hospital in Jayapura, said
\nthe law student remained in a critical condition after undergoing
\nan operation.<\/p>\n
He was shot just below his left ear and is now under close
\nobservation in the intensive care ward.<\/p>\n
Steven's parents live in Kaimana, about 900 kilometers
\nsouthwest of Jayapura, and are expected to arrive here today.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, high school student Korina Onim was reportedly
\nmaking good progress following an operation on the bullet wound
\nshe suffered to her leg.<\/p>\n
According to Antara, the incident occurred when students were
\nholding a protest rally in front of the Cendrawasih University on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
A military intelligence officer was apparently caught trying
\nto infiltrate the student crowd and beaten up.<\/p>\n
In the ensuing melee, soldiers standing guard at a distance
\nfired shots to ward off the students.<\/p>\n
It is unclear how Korina was wounded because she was standing
\n500 meters away in the Theological School grounds.<\/p>\n
The intelligence officer, Sgt. Dahlan, also remained in
\nhospital yesterday.<\/p>\n
Despite a prompt apology and a promise from the Jayapura
\nMilitary Commander Col. Josef Samuel to conduct a full
\ninvestigation into the incident and bring those responsible to
\njustice, criticism of the military's flagrant use of firearms
\nagainst the students poured in yesterday.<\/p>\n
The head of the Irian Jaya Community Foundation, Theis Eluay,
\nstrongly condemned the shooting.<\/p>\n
\"The weapons used were purchased with taxpayers money and are
\nsupposed to be used to protect the citizens of the country, not
\nto kill them,\" Eluay remarked in Jayapura yesterday.<\/p>\n
The University's deputy rector Daan Dimara said that an
\nindependent investigation team would be formed by a number of
\nnon-governmental organizations grouped under an umbrella
\norganization called the Cooperation Forum.<\/p>\n
The team would be formed as soon as approval was obtained from
\nRector Frans Wospakrik, who was expected to return from an out of
\ntown trip today, he added.<\/p>\n
\"I think we can start the process of forming the fact-finding
\nteam on Tuesday,\" Daan said. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/injured-student-in-critical-condition-1447893297",
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