December 05, 2011

December 05, 2011

Sentani, Papua. Papua Police will conduct sweeps among civilians to search for illegal firearms and ammunition following the recent spate of shooting incidents in the province, a spokesman said on Monday.

"The police will intensify operations against illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in Papua by air, sea and land," Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Wachyono said on the sidelines of a military ceremony to send off the body of First Brigadier Ridwan Napitupulu, who died on Monday from injuries sustained in an attack in Jayapura last week.

Wachyono also said the weapons in the possession of civilians in the province had been looted or stolen from national military (TNI) and police members.

"Their arms were originally held by local police and TNI members. So far there is no evidence the arms were smuggled in from elsewhere," he said.

National Police spokesman Maj. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said Ridwan’s death symbolized the escalating violence in Papua.

In 2009, one police officer died and 12 more were wounded in a series of shootouts between police and suspected members of armed rebel movement the Free Papua Organization (OPM). Last year 64 police officers were wounded, but none died.

Saud said that investigating the shootings had been close to impossible. “There are virtually no witnesses and evidence is scarce,” he said.

In October, Mulia city police chief Dominggus Awes was ambushed in the Puncak Jaya district when two men began beating him, grabbed his gun and shot him with it. He died not long after being taken to a hospital.

Mulia was also the scene of another attack in June, when First Brig. Muhammad Yasin died after a group of men stole his handgun and shot him with it.

Suspected separatist militias were also believed to be behind the death of four soldiers in Papua this year.

In July, First Pvt. Lukas Yahya Kafiar was shot in the head and died instantly after a group of armed men ambushed a military security squad during a routine patrol in Puncak Jaya.

In August, First Soldier Dominikus Kerapwas among the three people killed in an early morning ambush of public minivans in Nafri village near Papua capital Jayapura.

Unknown assailants reportedly blocked vehicles passing by the location, and immediately attacked the drivers and passengers using a variety of weapons, including an ax and a gun.

That month, First Pvt. Fana Suhandi, a member of the 753 battalion, was shot dead in Puncak Jaya. Fana had been guarding a military post in Tingginambut subdistrict when a bullet to the chest killed him instantly.

The helicopter used to transport his body was also shot en route from the Puncak Jaya capital, Mulia to Wamena in Jayawijaya district.

Just weeks later, Capt. Tasman from the Cenderawasih XVII Military Regional Command was stabbed to death on his way to work when the attack took place near a housing complex on Jalan Baru in Heram, Jayapura.


JG, Antara