One OPM member killed, 11 arrested

One suspected member of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) was shot dead and 11 others were detained following a raid conducted in a joint security operation on the Yapen Islands, Papua, on Saturday.

Papua Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Sulistyo Pudjo Hartono said on Sunday that a gunfight erupted when the joint forces, consisting of 20 local police officers and soldiers, attempted to storm an OPM meeting in Sasawa hamlet, West Yapen.

“After getting a tip-off about the meeting, the Yapen Islands local police chief, with the help of the local military commander, deployed a team to reach the meeting location by motorboat. As they reached the shore, an armed group opened fire,” he said.

A soldier, a police officer and the boat driver sustained gunshot wounds.

Members of the joint operation fought back, shooting dead a suspected OPM member, Yohasua Arampayai, and arresting 11 others.

“From them, we confiscated 11 homemade rifles, two homemade guns, sharp weapons and two rounds of low-grade explosives,” Sulistyo said.

The police also seized two Morning Star (Bintang Kejora) flags, the symbol of the Papuan pro-independence movement.

The 11 suspects are currently detained at the Yapen Islands Police office for further questioning.

“We still need to verify whether they are part of the armed group led by Fernando Warobai or another figure,” he said.

The Saturday raid took place following a spate of armed attacks in the restrictive province.

On Jan. 7, an unidentified gunman shot dead ojek driver Abdul Halil while he was taking a customer in Puncak Jaya regency, Papua. Last year, at least two ojek drivers fell victim to unknown shooters.

On Jan. 24, an OPM group led by Yambi killed a soldier, First Pvt. Sugiarto, in an ambush at Puncak Jaya. At the time, Sugiarto was escorting an entourage of 25 people, including the Puncak Jaya Military commander, the Puncak Jaya Police chief and the 751st Raider infantry battalion commander.

In the incident, the Army killed three separatists and confiscated an SS1 assault rifle.

Sulistyo suggested that most of the armed groups in Papua were thugs rather than pro-independence fighters.

“Most of them are armed criminals who are focusing on extorting locals rather than fighting for their independence. They often threaten electricians, ojek and public minivan drivers for money,”
he said.

The National Police have been stepping up their counter-separatism operations in Papua in an effort to provide better security, in particular during the upcoming general election.

According to the police, Papua is one of the provinces prone to conflict during elections.

Indonesian Police Watch data recorded 24 social conflicts in Papua throughout 2013 that claimed the lives of 59 people and injured 92.