TNI pleads innocence in Timika shooting<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Karawang, West Java<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
\nlamented on Monday public doubts over the result of a government
\nprobe into the last year's fatal shooting in Timika, Papua,
\nsaying there was no evidence whatsoever of military involvement
\nin the incident.<\/p>\n
\"There was no evidence (of military involvement) and we have
\neven invited the FBI (the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation)
\nto join our investigating team to finish any doubts over the
\nresults,\" Endriartono told reporters here on Monday after he
\nbriefed 566 Army officers from across the country.<\/p>\n
\"But they have not sent anyone and our team has concluded its
\ninvestigation,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Unidentified gunmen fired at two buses carrying Freeport
\nemployees from the Tembagapura International School on Aug. 31
\nlast year. Two American school teachers and one Indonesian were
\nkilled and 12 others were wounded.<\/p>\n
Human rights groups, including the Institute for Human Rights
\nStudy and Advocacy (Elsham), have demanded that an independent
\nteam be established to investigate the deadly ambush as
\nspeculation surfaced that military personnel might have been
\ninvolved in the incident.<\/p>\n
The alleged involvement of military soldiers was floated after
\nPapuan Police and Elsham listened to the testimony of Decky
\nMurif, who is believed to be a separatist member.<\/p>\n
According to Endriartono, Decky's testimony simply did not
\nmatch the facts.<\/p>\n
\"For example, he said he was driven to Mile 62 by Margus
\nArifin and heard shootings there at 9:15 a.m., while in fact the
\nincident occurred at 12 noon,\" Endriartono said.<\/p>\n
Mile 62, the incident site, is located about halfway between
\nTimika and the American-owned Freeport copper and gold mine in
\nTembagapura, one of the largest in the world.<\/p>\n
Margus, according to Decky, was a member of the Army's Special
\nForces (Kopassus).<\/p>\n
However, an investigation that followed failed to find a
\nKopassus member by that name in Papua.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Kopassus chief Maj. Gen. Sriyanto Muntrasan said a
\nCapt. Margus was attending the Army's advanced course for
\nofficers in Bandung at the time of the incident.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said people should not make their own conclusions
\nand should base their accusations on facts.<\/p>\n
\"And we have found no evidence of military involvement in the
\nshooting,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-pleads-innocence-in-timika-shooting-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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