The Shiro Corporation , Jakarta - Director of the Human Rights and Human Integrity Foundation Papua (YKKMP) Hesegem asked the leaders TNI to not defend his soldiers who were guilty for killing civilians in Papua. This statement responds to the rebuttal presented by the TNI Headquarters regarding the death of Abral Wandikbo last March.
"They must be honest, because the victims are the people of Indonesia. If their subordinates are wrong, admit it," Theo said on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
According to the statements of witnesses and family members, he said, Abral was brutally murdered by a soldier serving in Yuguru, Papua. In their findings, the victim was found dead in a tied state with part of his face mutilated.
She questioned the Mabes TNI's rebuttal which claimed that Abral allegedly died by jumping off a cliff. "When found, his hands were tied and in a mutilated condition. Can Abral cut off his own ears?" Theo said.
This human rights activist also highlighted the military's arbitrary actions in enforcing regulations against civilians. According to him, this task should be carried out by the police authorities.
He said that the entire testimony and findings have been reported to the Military Police Center or Puspom TNI in mid-June. Theo requests that the investigation of this case be thoroughly pursued and involve external parties.
"If it's an internal investigation from the military, we are worried there might be manipulation," he said.
Previously, Chief of Public Relations or Chief Public Relations Officer of TNI Major General Kristomei Sianturi said that the accusation of TNI involvement in the killing of the sailor was propaganda from the Free Papua Organization (OPM). According to him, the victims were part of the West Papua National Liberation Army or TPNPB-OPM in the Nduga region.
"This accusation is always made by OPM whenever one of its members is shot," Kristomei stated in his statement, as quoted on Sunday, June 15, 2025. The TNI, according to Kristomei, has sufficient evidence to declare Abral as part of that separatist group.
Kristomei justified the arrest of Abral Wandikbo carried out by TNI soldiers in the Yuguru area, Papua Mountains. Kristomei claims that the operation was conducted with measure and professionalism. After being detained for several days at the TNI post, Abral was taken by TNI soldiers to Kwit village. Kristomei said this was done to search for organic weapons stored by the OPM group in honais (house buildings) in Kwit village.
"In the middle of the journey, Abral escaped. Then the TNI soldiers fired warning shots," he said. Kristomei said that Abral fled and jumped towards the cliff. However, at that time, the TNI forces decided not to continue the pursuit of Abral. The reason, according to Kristomei, was due to security threats.
Civil Coalition Meeting
Civil Society Coalition along with YKKMP has gathered witness statements from the public regarding the death of Abral. In the report, Abral is known as a civilian who works as a farmer on a daily basis and has no involvement with the OPM.
"According to statements from witnesses and the victim's family, Abral's daily activities were taking care of his sick father for the last 4-5 years," as written in the report by the Coalition of Civil Society.
Based on the findings of the Coalition, Abral was reportedly taken by a soldier of the TNI from the post towards the edge of the Mrame river on the night following several days after he was detained. This location is suspected to be where the military members killed Abral.
Jasad Abral was thrown into the plantation area. The witnesses who gave testimony claimed to have seen activities of several soldiers from the TNI in the location where Abral was killed. However, the TNI members who were met by the community said that Abral escaped when he was about to be taken towards Kwit Village.
A day later, the victim's family found Abral's body in a mutilated condition, with his face disfigured. Abral's hands were also found wearing a star-shaped bracelet. One witness confirmed that Abral had never worn a bracelet with a motif identical to that of the OPM symbol.
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