Police, unprovoked, shoot man in Merauke

Police, unprovoked, shoot man in Merauke

Information has been provided to West Papua Media that in an unprovoked attack, an Indonesian police officer shot a West Papuan teenager on August 30 in Merauke, West Papua.

Activists from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Merauke reported that Benedict Umap, 19, was shot outside the KNPB Secretariat office on Johar Kelurahan Kelapa street at 1530 by Brigadier Jhon Piter Dias of Merauke Police.

According to witnesses, Umap had been walking back to his house, and was approached by Brigadier Dias without just cause. Dias fired several shots from his rifle without provocation into Benedict Umap’s left leg, resulting in gunshot wounds and a broken leg. Umap then scrambled with a broken leg to the Regional General Hospital Merauke assisted by family members who witnessed the shooting.

KNPB Merauke has described the situation as highly tense at this arbitrary and casual act of police brutality, with local residents and Papuan people in Merauke fearful of further police violence.

ENDS

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