JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com —The Meepago Regional Customary Council (DAW) asked the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Representative of Papua together with the Papua People’s Representative Council (DPRP) and the Papua People’s Counsel (MRP) to immediately investigate the case of the deaths of two priests in the past week.
This was stated by the Coordinator of the Meepago Regional Customary Council, Okto Marco Pekei when contacted by suarapapua.com, Friday (25/9/2020).
According to him, his party deeply regrets the violence that befell Pastor Yeremias Zanambani in Intan Jaya and Alfred Degei in Nabire.
After the death of Yeremias Zanambani in Intan Jaya, three days later, Alfred Degei was found lying lifeless behind the Catholic Church of St. Yosep SP II Nabire.
“Kami DAW Meepago mendesak Komnas HAM perwakilan Papua, DPRP dan MRP untuk melakukan investigasi atas dua kasus ini. Dan kami meminta kejujuran dari pihak pelaku, karena kejujuran merupakan awal dari pertanggungjawaban. Sehingga, kasus ini tidak menjadi kasus misterius,” katanya.
“We DAW Meepago urge Komnas HAM representatives of Papua, DPRP, and MRP to carry out investigations on these two cases. And we urge for honesty from the perpetrator, because honesty is the beginning of accountability. So, this case does not become a mysterious case, “he said.
Regarding the shooting of Pastor Yeremias Zanambani, he said, there was an impression that the perpetrators were blaming each other. However, of course, there are eyewitnesses and the immediate family knows who done this shooting that kills a servant of God.
“The TPNPB-OPM said the perpetrator was the security apparatus, on the other hand the security apparatus said the TPNPB-OPM, so no one admits who did it,” he said.
Pekei hopes that with further investigations of these two cases, facts can be revealed.
Quoted from Tempo, the head of the Ministry of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation of the Kingmi Papua Church, Yones Douw, said that Alfred’s body was found after missing for one night.
“There were three wounds on the head and they bled quite a lot,” Yones told Tempo yesterday.
Meanwhile, Member of the National Human Rights Commission, Beka Ulung Hapsara, encouraged Alfred’s family and church to carry out an autopsy.
“There must be a professional judgment from medical experts to determine the cause of Alfred’s death,” said Beka.
Komnas HAM also urged the police to investigate this case if any signs of violence were found. Moreover, the incident was only three days after the shooting of Pastor Jeremiah in Intan Jaya.
Reporter: Yance Agapa
