One dead, four injured after rebel attack

One dead, four injured after rebel attack

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

Bangke, a construction worker, was shot dead in an attack on
Tuesday by unidentified persons in the Ugimba subdistrict in
Paniai regency, some 1,000 kilometers west of Jayapura.

Four other people were badly injured in the attack, allegedly
perpetrated by the members of Papua rebel movement (OPM), said
Brig. Gen. Tommy Jacobus, the deputy chief of Papua provincial
police.

The attack began early Tuesday morning, when eight
construction workers were asleep in a school building unit that
was being constructed by them in the Ugimba subdistrict.

The workers were guarded by two police personnel from nearby
Enarotali police subprecinct, who slept with the workers in the
school building unit. They were Chief. Brig. Wardoyo and Chief.
Brig. Hendrik Balalembang.

Surprisingly, at 5 a.m local time, some 10 unidentified people
suddenly attacked them, and the two police personnel quickly
fought back the attackers.

A fierce gun fight developed in the area, and lasted for five
minutes. The gunfight claimed a sizable toll from the side of
police personnel and the workers, as they were apparently not
well-prepared for the attack.

Bangke, who hailed from the South Sulawesi town of Tana
Toraja, was shot in the head and he died on the spot. Four others
were badly injured, namely police officer Hendrik Balalembang and
workers Panggalo, Kondo and Sulaeman.

"The fate of other construction workers are still uncertain as
they went missing after the incident," said Jacobus.

The four were Yohannes, Sonda, Nuwung and Rangga.

The attackers fled the scene after the incident, which then
allowed police officer Wardoyo to bring the dead and injured
companions to nearby Nabire hospital for treatment, with the help
of local residents.

Shells of used bullets were found at the scene, and from it
can be concluded that the alleged Papua rebels used FN pistols
and M-16 rifles in the attack.

Jacobus said that a robbery was likely the main motive behind
the attack. "They took some food belonging to the construction
workers during the attack. It seemed that they ran out of food
while they were in the jungle, and they tried to get it from the
workers down there," he said.

Jacobus suspected that the Papua rebels were members of a
rebel group led by Titus Murib and Thadius Yogi, who operated in
the Paniai regency.