Wife of human rights activist shot at Papua-PNG border

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

JAKARTA (JP): Unidentified men shot the wife of a human rights activist near an immigration post near the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.

The woman, identified as 40-year-old Elsie Rumbiak Bonay, is the wife of Johanis G. Bonay, director of the Papua-based Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy (Elsham).

Another woman, identified as Yeni Irew Merauje, 35, was also shot during the attack.

Both women underwent surgery at the Army hospital in Jayapura.

The two women, along with nine other people, boarded a vehicle belonging to the Papua's Public Works Office to cross the border to visit relatives in Vanomi, Papua New Guinea.

When they arrived at the border the gate was still closed and therefore, the driver of the vehicle, Albert Merauje, head of the border road development project, turned back to the immigration post. Suddenly shots were fired from the forest at the vehicle from its left side.

One shot hit both Elsie's legs, another shot hit Yeni's upper right leg and also the left shoulder of Marlin Bonay. Another shot was fired, but it did not hit any of the passengers.

Local military (172rd Resort) chief Col. Agus Muljadi blamed an "armed renegade group" for the attack.

Elsham deputy director Allosyus Renwarin, however, linked the attack to Johanis Bonay's activities as a rights campaigner.

Before Saturday's attacks, Allosyus said, Bonay had received several threats.

"When attending the funeral of the late Michael Rumbiak, a lecturer of Cendrawasih University who died last week, Pak Bonay's car tires were slashed by unidentified persons, and then, the telephone line at his home was cut."

The Indonesian Military (TNI) once threatened to sue Elsham following its report alleging Military involvement in the Aug. 31 ambush close to the mining area of PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika.

Unidentified gunmen opened fire on buses near the U.S.-owned Freeport gold and copper mine in Timika, killing two U.S. teachers and an Indonesian, as well as injuring 18 others.

Elsham's allegation, however, was later supported by the findings of an investigation by Papua Police. Papua Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Raziman Tarigan asserted that Army soldiers were suspected of having carried out the attack.

Johanis Bonay, however, refused to link the attack on his wife with Elsham's allegations about the Freeport attack. "I don't see the link in that direction," he said.

Jayapura Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Mikel Da Costa also ruled out any link between Saturday's attack and Elsham's activities.

"We don't see that. What's certain is that there was a violent incident that caused injuries to civilians," he said.

Mikel said he would send his men to the location to investigate the attack.

Col. Agus Muljadi also said that the Indonesian Military would not let such attacks occur in the future, and therefore, he would launch an operation to clear the area of members of the armed renegade group.