Cenderawasih Commander Apologizes Over Mamberamo Raya Incident

The Kodam Cenderawasih Military Command chief has issued an apology to the National Police and the families of the victims of the shooting incident last Sunday by unscrupulous personnel of the Indonesian Military.

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The XVII/ Cenderawasih Regional Military Command (Kodam) commander, Maj. Gen. Herman Asaribab (center), has issued an apology to the National Police and the families of the three Mamberamo Raya police officers who died, at Jayapura Silas Papare Air Base on Monday (13/4/2020).

JAYAPURA, KOMPAS – The XVII/ Cenderawasih Regional Military Command (Kodam) commander, Maj. Gen. Herman Asaribab, has issued an apology to the National Police and the Papua Police.

Three officers of the Mamberamo Raya Police were killed died and two other officers were injured by gunshot during a misunderstanding with unscrupulous TNI personnel, according to Herman.

Herman made the statement while attending a funeral ceremony on Monday (13/4/2020) alongside Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw to honor the three dead Mamberamo Raya police officers at Jayapura Silas Papare Air Base, from where the bodies of the three officers were flown back to their respective hometowns.

We pray that the victims\' families can be patient and can send off their [loved ones] with their whole hearts.

The bodies of First Brig. Marcelino Rumaikewi and Chief Brig. Alexander Ndun were returned to Merauke regency for burial, while the body of Second Brig. Yosias Proud was returned to Mappi regency.

Herman stated that he had expressed his condolences to the entire Papua police force and especially to the families of the victims who were killed during the shooting incident at Mamberamo Raya.

"We deeply regret the shooting of the five members of the Mamberamo Raya Police. We pray that the victims\' families can be patient and can send off their [loved ones] with their whole hearts," said Herman.

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Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw

He also said that he had reported the incident to the TNI commander and would take actions against the TNI personnel who were involved. "TNI commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto has directed the TNI and the police in Papua continue to maintain synergy. We have sent a team to Mamberamo Raya to ensure that the security situation remains conducive," he said.

Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said on the same occasion that the investigation teams from the Papua Police and Kodam XVII were in Mamberamo Raya investigating the cause of the incident.

He also appealed to all members of the National Police and the TNI in Mamberamo Raya to remain calm and not become provoked into engaging in more conflicts.

"I have instructed high-ranking officers there to keep their members calm and to remain at headquarters. All police officers have been relieved of their weapons to prevent further conflict," said Paulus.

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The CN-235 Indonesian Air Force aircraft carrying the bodies of three Mamberamo Raya police officers at Jayapura\'s Silas Papare Air Base on Monday (13/4/2020)

In the meantime, Jayapura Silas Parare Air Base commander First Marshal Tri Bowo Budi Santoso said that the base had prepared a CASA/IPTN CN-235 aircraft to transport the bodies of the three police officers home to their families.

Meanwhile, the two injured police officers have been identified as Chief Brig. Alva Titaley and First Brig. Alexander Ndun, both of who are still under treatment at Bhayangkara Hospital in Jayapura.

The shooting incident occurred at 7:40 a.m. on Sunday in Kasonaweja, Mamberamo Raya. The incident reportedly began with a misunderstanding between the five Mamberamo Raya policemen and the TNI personnel at a security checkpoint at the Pamrahwan Infantry Battalion 755/20/3-Kostrad.

Earlier, House of Representatives Commission I member Yan Mandenas, who hails from Papua, called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the shooting incident in Mamberamo Raya. He stressed that the TNI must pass down the heaviest sanctions against any of its personnel who were proven guilty of shooting the five National Police members.