Jayapura: On Wednesday this week at around 5.30am, people in the vicinity of Jalan Loreng Hostel in the district of Keerom were shocked by the discovery of the body of a student which was covered with wounds.The student has since been identified as Very Tebay, 24 years old, who lived at the Paniai Hostel , Perumnas III. He is thought to have died because of severe lesions in the face and the back of the head, as well as discharge coming from his left ear.
The student is thought to be the victim of a murder but the police have not yet been able to identify the perpetrator. The chief of police in Abepura said that they were still trying to determine who was responsible for the murder.
The student's body was first discovered by a friend of his, Kristian Rumere; 20 when he was on his way to the shops. Kristian who also lives in the students' hostel said he first thought that it was someone lying asleep on the ground, on the side of the road. with blood flowing from his head, and tried to wake him up, only to discover that the body did not move at all. He then reported this to the local authorities who confirmed that the person was already dead.
The body was subsequently taken to the Abepura Hospital, after the local police arrived at the site of the crime to conduct investigations.
[West Papua Media note: it is unclear at this stage if this student's murder is related to the violent break-up by Indonesian security forces, including the Australian trained Densus 88 unit, of the Third Papuan Peoples' Congress. However, the head injuries sustained by the victim are consistent with the massive beatings to heads meted out by police, militia and military whilst breaking up the Congress. West Papua Media has 12 confirmed reports of fractured skulls from Congress participants, but these reports are only of those who have sought medical attention.
According to participant Abraham Kareni (himself also with a skull fracture) in a video testimony sent exclusively to West Papua Media, many of those injured are too scared of arrest or killing by Indonesian forces to seek medical assistance. However, without medical attention, victims with skull fractures are at great risk of death through brain haemorrhage or stroke, consistent with the injuries recorded on the victim.
*The victim Very Tebay belongs to a prominent family of West Papuan leaders and intellectuals - West Papua Media}