Indonesian Army (TNI) Killed 3 Pastors and Buning Churches in West Papua on 2004-2020

Indonesian Army (TNI) Killed 3 Pastors in West Papua in 2004-2020

Priests / Pdt. Dr. Socratez Sofyan Yoman, MA, (President Baptist Papua), Pdt. Dr. Benny Giay, PhD (Sinode KINGMI Papua) , Pdt. Dorem Wandikbo, S.Th, (President GIDI)

Press Release:

TNI SHOOTED DEAD 3 (THREE) PAPUA IN PAPUA SINCE 2004-2020 (PDT. YEREMIA ZANAMBANI, PDT. GEYIMIN NIRIGI, PDT. ELISA TABUNI)

I, Dr. Socratez S. Yoman, President of the Central Service Agency for the West Papua Baptist Churches Fellowship (BPP-PGBWP) condemns and strongly condemns the shooting of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua who was shot dead by the Indonesian National Army (TNI) on Saturday , 19 September 2020. Pastor Yeremia was shot dead by TNI troops during a military operation when Pastor Yeremia went to his pig pen to feed.

Pastor Yeremia is the Chairperson of the Upper Theological School (STA) in Hitadipa and pastor of the congregation Imanuel Hutadipa from the Indonesian Bible Tent Church (GKII) in the Hitadipa Region of Papua 3, a Bible translator in the Moni language and church leaders and also a leader of the Moni tribe.

As a result of the military operation, 7-8 churches were evacuated and members of the congregation fled by fleeing into the forests.

These TNI atrocities and crimes were an integral part of the military operation order from the President of the Republic of Indonesia Ir. Joko Widodo in Nduga Papua since December 2018 which led to massive gross human rights violations committed by the TNI in Papua.

Pastor Geyimin Nirigi was shot dead by elite TNI troops on December 19 2018 in Mapenduma District. The victim was ordered to dig the ground in the backyard of the house and was then shot dead and doused with kerosene on his body and set on fire. Kapendam XVII Cenderawasih, Mohamad Aidi spread a hoax that Pastor Geyimin Nigiri is still alive and well. However, the results of the investigation by the Papuan Human Integrity Justice and Peace Foundation led directly by Director Theo Hesegem on December 25-27 2018 proved that Pdt. Giyimin Nigiri (80 / L) actually died at the hands of elite TNI troops.

Crimes and other serious human rights violations committed by the TNI killed Pastor Elisa Tabuni in Tingginambut, Puncak Jaya on August 16, 2004. Previously Pastor Elisa Tabuni was arrested, handcuffed and shot dead by Kopassus troops under the leadership of Dansatgas BAN-II / Koppasus, Lt. Col. Inf.Yogi Gunawan.

The cruelty, violence and savagery of the TNI which denigrate human dignity as inhuman and uncivilized acts against the pastors and pastors of the people, deserve to be condemned and condemned because the behavior of the TNI is very cursed before God and humans.

Seeing this cruel and brutal reality, Prof. Dr. Franz Magnis emphasized:

"There is an impression that Papuans are being treated as if they have not been recognized as human ..." The situation in Papua is bad, abnormal, uncivilized and embarrassing, because it is closed to foreign media. Papua is a rotting wound on the body of the Indonesian nation. " (p. 255).

"... we will be exposed in front of the civilized world, as a savage nation, a nation that kills the Papuan people, even though they are not used with sharp weapons." (p. 257). (Source: Franz: Nationality, Democracy, Pluralism of Interest in Actual Political Ethics, 2015).

Meanwhile Pastor Frans Lieshout saw that "Papua is still a festering wound in Indonesia." (Source: Pastor Frans Lieshout OFM: Pastors and Teachers for Papua, (2020: 601).

Recommended:

1. President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir. Joko Widodo immediately stopped military operations in Papua and also immediately withdrew all non-organic TNI troops from Sorong-Merauke.

2. Urge the Papuan Council of Churches (WPCC) to immediately write to the Pacific Council Conference (PCC) to urge Members of the Pacific Island States to raise concerns about the death of three pastors in Papua in the UN forum.

3. Urge the Papuan Church Council (WPCC) to send a letter to the World Council of Churches (WCC) to raise the issue of the death of three Papuan priests to the UN forum.

thanks.

Ita Wakhu Purom, Monday, September 21, 2020

President of the Fellowship of West Papua Baptist Churches,

Dr. Socratez S. Yoman

Contact person: 08124888458; 08128888712