West Papua National Liberation Army Claims to Have Shot Police Brigadier in Lanny Jaya

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) claims to have shot dead a police officer and another person in Lanny Jaya, Papua Pegunungan Province. TPNPB-OPM spokesman Sebby Sambom said Brigadier Johan Herik Sibarani, 32, was killed in the shooting. The shooting also injured a civilian, Adi Fallo, 20, who was taken to the hospital.

The shooting in Lanny Jaya took place on Tuesday evening, September 10. Sebby said he received reports of the shooting from TPNPB-OPM members on the ground. "We are responsible for the attack at around 7:30 p.m. at the Lenny Jaya Regency DPRD office at Jalan Raya Tiom-Melagi, Kampung Dukom," Sebby said in a written statement on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

Sebby said the attack resulted in the death of Lenny Jaya police member Brigadier Johan. Sebby also accused Adi of being an intelligence officer, although the Papua Police had described Adi as a civilian.

The motivation for the TPNPB-OPM attack, Sebby said, was to prevent the TNI and Polri from conducting checks on civilians and spying on the movements of TPNPB troops in Lanny Jaya. "With this attack, the TPNPB ordered the Indonesian military to stop its activities immediately," Sebby said.

As of Wednesday morning, the Papua Police are still investigating the incident in Lanny Jaya. The shooting of Brigadier Johan and Adi was said to have been carried out by an unknown person (OTK).

Papua Police head of PR, Sr. Comr. Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo, said the shootings took place in two different locations, namely in Dukom village, Tiom district, and Dugime village, Niname district, Lanny Jaya regency, Papua Pegunungan.

"The first incident occurred in Dukom Village on Tuesday at around 19:30 East Indonesia Time. The unknown person came to a kiosk owned by Brig. Pol. Johan. He then shot the victim," Sr. Comr. Pol. Benny in his statement in Jayapura on Wednesday, September 11, as reported by Antara.

After receiving information about the shooting, officers immediately went to the scene and evacuated the victim to Tiom Regional Hospital. "The victim was shot in the right upper chest and right back, which resulted in his death," he said.

A few hours later, a shooting took place in Dugume village, Ninimae district, by an unknown person against Adi Fallo at about 20:05. "The victim was shot in the right thigh. The victim was conscious when evacuated to Tiom Regional Hospital," he said.

ANTARA

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