(Comment: West Papua Media was the only media outlet that covered this is detail when the story was broken (with thanks to local human rights sources and Tapol), so we also thank Jakarta Globe for following this up with such a positive result. It remains to be seen if these soldiers from Battalion 755 are charged and put on trial for human rights abuses and torture, and face accountability for their actions. Moreover, without the identification of command responsibility for who gave the orders for soldiers to extrajudicially abuse civilians on mere suspicion of separatism (freedom of expression) then these abuses will continue. Detention at a garrison is a long way from a judicial process).
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/7-soldiers-detained-for-abuse-in-papua/476877
by Banjir Ambarita | November 07, 2011
Seven soldiers stationed in Papua have been detained by military police on suspicion of abusing civilians there.
Col. Ibnu Tri Widodo, the head of district command (Korem) 172/PWY, said the seven soldiers were taken into custody after it was reported that they had beaten, kicked and humiliated 12 residents of Kurulu village in Papua’s Jayawijaya district.
“For what they [the soldiers] did, they are being detained at the military police in Wamena,” Ibnu said.
The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) reported that the soldiers had stumbled across the civilians participating in a traditional tribal council on Wednesday, but that the soldiers mistook the meeting for a pro-separatist gathering.
The soldiers then allegedly beat, kicked and doused the 12 with water while also forcing them to crawl on all fours.
Following the allegations, all military troops assigned to Kurulu have been replaced.
Ibnu said on Monday that he would try to prevent similar incidents.
“We have to be better and prevent violence against the civilians.”