Indonesian police shoot at crowd injuring three West Papuans

May 6, 2014

UPDATED MAY 8, 2014

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Three West Papuans have been seriously injured today after police from the notorious Brimob (Mobile Brigade) shot into a crowd. The incident occurred this morning in Moanemani, Nabire.

The crowd had formed at the police station calling for justice after a speeding truck had struck and killed two locals. The driver of the truck had fled into the police station. Benny Goo, a witness at the scene, said the Brimob officers fired into the crowd without giving any warning, brutally shooting at civilians.

Two of the injured have been identified as Yulius Anouw (27) was shot in his chest; Gayus Auwe (32) was shot in his abdomen and right thigh and Anton Edoway (28) was shot on his left thigh. A reverend who was present during the shootings recalled that it was not only ‘one or two shots’ but more like rain of bullets.

The three injured victims were taken to Nabire Public Hospital for medical treatment. According to the latest information received by the Asian Human Rights Commission, Yulius Anouw and Anton Edowai have undergone surgery but are still unconscious. Gayus Auwe is still receiving medical treatment at the public hospital but has not undergone surgery yet.

The indiscriminate shooting of West Papuans by the Indonesian police gives yet another example of how Indonesia is not fit to rule West Papua. Human rights abuses continue on a weekly basis because Indonesia is illegally occupying West Papua using brutal force. The Free West Papua Campaign wants to end all such abuses by calling on the world to recognise Indonesia’s illegitimate claim and to grant West Papua independence to run their own country.

Take action to call for a full investigation into the incident.