Press Release. From KNPB, Jayapura, West Papua. More news and pictures will follow.

We would like to report that the Indonesian police has shot dead a number of members of KNPB at the peace rally that was brutally dispersed by members of the police apparatus, on Tuesday, 26 November 2013. A KNPB activist from Sentani named Matius Tengget was found dead in Lake Sentani, and we can confirm that his body was thrown into the lake after he was shot dead by members of the joint Police and Mobile Brigade units when they dispersed the peaceful demonstration. His body, that was found today (27 Nov.), is now at the hospital.

We would also like to report that KNPB and family members of the victims are also looking for four (4) other KNPB members that are missing: their whereabouts are unknown or their bodies have not yet been found. Three of the victims carry the Mul surname and the fourth Lambe. We strongly suspect that the police shot them and disposed of their bodies.

Until now we are still looking for possible victims of yesterday’s mass action who were most presumably shot and disappeared: in their attempt to disperse yesterday’s demonstration, the Police and the Mobile Brigade fired a lot of shots and they chased many demonstrators towards Buper, the Housing Complex III, Ekspo, until Iyoka and all the way to the edge of Sentani Lake.

Dozens of Papuans who were beaten by the police are now in prison at the Police Station of Abepura and the Jayapura Police Station. These acts of police brutality were committed under the command of Titi Karnavian (Papua Police Chief), Alfred Papare (Jayapura Police Chief), Kiki Kurnia (Jayapura Deputy police Chief), and Paul Waterpau (Papua Deputy Police Chief).

This is the information that KNPB is able to confirm thus far.

Jayapura 27 November 2013

Sincerely,

KNPB Central Board
Victor F. Yeimo (General Chair)
Ones Suhun (Secretary General)