Acts of terror leave bloody trail in Papua8532988

September may be the bloodiest month in Intan Jaya district, West Papua province, this season with armed separatists mounting a spate of attacks which may have left two soldiers and 2 civilians dead and 2 others injured.

On September 19, 2020, an Indonesian soldier died in the gunfight with several armed Papuan rebels close to the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command’s compound inside the district.

The fallen hero has been identified as First Private Dwi Akbar Utomo, according to XVII Cenderawasih Regional Military Command spokesperson, Lt. Col. Reza Nur Patria.

Within the same day, armed separatists also reportedly gunned down Priest Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa village, Hitadipa sub-district. This can be clearly a separatist acts of terror.

The priest died of gunshot wounds after he was shot by armed criminals on September 19, 2020, Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III spokesperson, Col. IGN Suriastawa, noted in a recent statement.

On September 17, 2020, another soldier, Chief Sergeant Sahlan, was reportedly killed within an ambush laid by a group of armed separatists. He was returning to the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command in Intan Jaya district with food supplies from the Sugapa area when he was attacked.

The attackers seized his gun and magazine, in accordance with Commander of the Biak-based 173/Praja Vira Braja Military Resort Command, Brig. Gen. Iwan Setiawan.

Sahlan, part of the 1404 Pindrang Military District Command in South Sulawesi province, have been tasked with copying the Village Supervisory Non-Commissioned Officers (Babinsa) with the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command, Setiawan noted.

In the separate incident on September 17, 2020, armed Papuan rebels reportedly tortured and killed a 49-year-old motorcycle taxi Ojek driver identified as Badawi.

On September 13, 2020, armed separatists opened fire at two other Ojek drivers in Sugapa area, however they managed to survive the attack. The two drivers are undergoing treatment in Timika, the administrative centre of Mimika District, Setiawan stated.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) has condemned the current shooting of Priest Yeremia Zanamban in the province, the location where the security situation has remained volatile due to its vulnerability to acts of deadly violence by armed separatists as well as their backers.