The shooting of Freeport employees is a human tragedy

The shooting of Freeport employees is a human tragedy

Papua Peace Network (JDP) Coordinator Father Jhon Bunay Pr said the shooting incident in the PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) office area in Kuala Kencana, Mimika Regency, Papua on Monday (31/3) was a human tragedy that at least risked the authority of Indonesian security forces on the social stage of the association. international.

Father John Bunay Pr in a written statement on Saturday (4/4) stated that the shooting incident of Freeport employees that caused the death of PTFI employees from New Zealand, Graeme Thomas Wall (57) and the wounding of Indonesian employees, Ucok Simanungkalit and Jibral Bahar due to the sharp shot by a sharp bullet from muzzle of an unknown person is very heartbreaking.

"This humanitarian incident is very alarming because Freeport Indonesia is one of the largest copper, silver and gold mining companies in the world besides being a multi-national company as well as the shooting incident has claimed the death of a foreign national of New Zealand nationality," said John Bunay.

It should be recognized that this shooting incident was a heartbreaking human tragedy, according to Father, because at a time when humanity throughout the world including Indonesia and Papua was trapped in a deadly COVID-19 pandemic, there was still a group of unknown people who were so determined to kill the lives of others in the Freeport area which is a national vital object (Obvitnas).

"Based on Presidential Decree No. 63 of 2004 concerning Safeguarding National Vital Objects is an obligation of the National Police (article 4) and Polri can request the assistance of TNI forces (article 7) then all security forces serving in PTFI's current operational areas, both in Tembagapura and Kuala Kencana must be responsible, "he said.

John Bunay asked the security forces assigned to work in PTFI's work area to warily apologize for the humanitarian tragedy that caused the shooting of three PTFI employees. "The Indonesian government authorities must immediately reorganize the security program in PTFI's operational area so that no more casualties from Freeport employees are lost," he pleaded.

Realizing that PTFI's operational area is a mining area full of armed violence conflict that has repeatedly killed a number of Freeport employees viciously, it asked the government, security forces and PTFI leaders to provide the widest opportunity for JDP to enter this conflict zone to hack into a peaceful dialogue towards the creation of a peaceful shared order of life.