TNI pleads innocence in Timika shooting

TNI pleads innocence in Timika shooting

The Jakarta Post, Karawang, West Java

Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
lamented on Monday public doubts over the result of a government
probe into the last year's fatal shooting in Timika, Papua,
saying there was no evidence whatsoever of military involvement
in the incident.

"There was no evidence (of military involvement) and we have
even invited the FBI (the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation)
to join our investigating team to finish any doubts over the
results," Endriartono told reporters here on Monday after he
briefed 566 Army officers from across the country.

"But they have not sent anyone and our team has concluded its
investigation," he added.

Unidentified gunmen fired at two buses carrying Freeport
employees from the Tembagapura International School on Aug. 31
last year. Two American school teachers and one Indonesian were
killed and 12 others were wounded.

Human rights groups, including the Institute for Human Rights
Study and Advocacy (Elsham), have demanded that an independent
team be established to investigate the deadly ambush as
speculation surfaced that military personnel might have been
involved in the incident.

The alleged involvement of military soldiers was floated after
Papuan Police and Elsham listened to the testimony of Decky
Murif, who is believed to be a separatist member.

According to Endriartono, Decky's testimony simply did not
match the facts.

"For example, he said he was driven to Mile 62 by Margus
Arifin and heard shootings there at 9:15 a.m., while in fact the
incident occurred at 12 noon," Endriartono said.

Mile 62, the incident site, is located about halfway between
Timika and the American-owned Freeport copper and gold mine in
Tembagapura, one of the largest in the world.

Margus, according to Decky, was a member of the Army's Special
Forces (Kopassus).

However, an investigation that followed failed to find a
Kopassus member by that name in Papua.

Earlier, Kopassus chief Maj. Gen. Sriyanto Muntrasan said a
Capt. Margus was attending the Army's advanced course for
officers in Bandung at the time of the incident.

Endriartono said people should not make their own conclusions
and should base their accusations on facts.

"And we have found no evidence of military involvement in the
shooting," he said.