Pigai ensures child victims of shooting in Papua receive proper care

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has ensured that the children who became victims of the shooting in Kampung Kembru, Sinak District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua on Tuesday (14/4), are receiving intensive care from medical personnel.

“The children also became victims and now those in hospital are receiving attention from the local government,” said Pigai during a press conference at the Ministry of Human Rights office in South Jakarta on Monday.

Pigai explained that based on data received by the Ministry of Human Rights, 15 civilians were recorded as having died as a result of the shootout.

Of those seven people, Pigai continued, three were children and the rest were adults. His side has so far been unable to confirm whether any children died as victims of the incident.

Pigai continued that this incident has become a focus for the Ministry of Human Rights because it claimed civilian victims.

Therefore, the Ministry of Human Rights is endeavouring to push for the case to be uncovered so that the public can know who the shooters are and what the motive was.

One of the efforts undertaken by Pigai and the Ministry of Human Rights is to take over the handling of this case. This step was taken by Pigai so that the government can trace the case transparently and fairly.

“It is better for the Ministry of Human Rights to take the lead in checking the facts and information; that is far better,” Pigai explained.

Pigai himself assessed that the local community should already know who the shooters are, given that the incident occurred between morning and afternoon.

Therefore, Pigai asked those who feel they are the perpetrators to confess and undergo legal processes for the sake of justice in Papua.

“The incident happened in the daytime; the perpetrators already know. That cannot be disputed. The perpetrators are known by the people; those who became victims know, and those in the local community also know. So now, please, do not hide it; it must be revealed,” said Pigai.