The Papua chapter of the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) reported a 70 percent increase in the number of cases of violence in Papua, most of which were allegedly committed by security officers.
Komnas HAM Jayapura chapter deputy Matius Murib told the press Tuesday that increasing violence from 2009 to 2010 mostly involved security officers in the Papuan regency of Puncak Jaya.
“The highest number of cases were recorded in 2010. Most of the perpetrators were reportedly TNI [Indonesian Military] and police officers,” Matius said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.
The violence occurring in Indonesia’s easternmost province stemmed back to 2004, when security officers accused Goliat Tabuni of leading the Free Papua Movement. Matius said. Goliat was accused of involvement in attacks on security officers in and around the region.
After that, security officers have launched a continuous series of raids that have led to a number of civilian deaths, he said.
The raids and exchanges of gunfire have forced some 5,000 Papuans to flee to the forests, where many people have died because of illness or hunger, he added.
“We ask the XVII Trikora Military Command and the Papua Police to cease all operations and attempts to add to the number of troops, which would only worsen the civilian trauma and exert further tolls upon them, especially people living in Puncak Jaya and its surrounding areas,” he said.