Acts of terror leave bloody trail in Papua9176372

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

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

The fallen hero may be identified as First Private Dwi Akbar Utomo, based on XVII Cenderawasih Regional Military Command spokesperson, Lt. Col. Reza Nur Patria.

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 inside a recent statement.

On September 17, 2020, another soldier, Chief Sergeant Sahlan, was reportedly killed in 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 in the Sugapa area while he was attacked.

The attackers seized his gun and magazine, according to 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, had been tasked with backing up the Village Supervisory Non-Commissioned Officers (Babinsa) from the Persiapan Hipadipa Military Sub-district Command, Setiawan noted.

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

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

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) has condemned the latest shooting of Priest Yeremia Zanamban within the province, in which the security situation has always been volatile owing to its vulnerability to acts of deadly violence by armed separatists as well as their backers.