Komnas HAM calls on Police Chief to Locate the Body of Ruben Oroboi

SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY, Jayapura, 20 July [1998]

The National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has officially called on the Chief of Police, Irian Jaya, Brig. Gen. Pol. Drs Hotman Siagian, to locate the body of Ruben Orboi and surrender it to his family. This was stated by spokesperson for the Komnas HAM Team, Asmara Nababan on Saturday evening (18/7).

Ruben Orboi (27 years), a worker at Hotel Titawaka II, Biak, died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head suffered during an incident involving an attack on a crowd at a flag-raising at the Water Tower, Biak on Monday (6 July). He died in the intensive care unit of the Biak Regional Public Hospital (RSUD) on the same day, at about 10:00am after being nursed there for about two and a half hours.

Nababan was accompanied by Clementino Dos Reis Amaral, B N Marbun and Komnas HAM correspondent in Jayapura, Marten Ferry Kareth. The Komnas HAM team had come to Irian Jaya on a field fact-finding mission concerning violations of human rights in the Biak Water Tower incident. [A team investigating] incidents at the Cenderawasih University (Uncen) campus and Timika was led by Komnas HAM Secretary General Baharuddin Lopa.

The Komnas HAM visit to Biak RSUD on Thursday (16/7) established the facts surrounding the death of Ruben Orboi, starting with information from the authorities, [hospital] staff and the nurses who had taken care of the casualty up to the time of his death. This information was supported by the evidence of the patient’s intensive care log book and his death certificate. Identification was from his Resident’s Identification Card (KTP).

An outstanding matter now is that, until the present time, the body of the victim has not been handed over to his family. On the day of the incident (Monday 6/7), transports taking casualties from the water tower were closely guarded by the security forces. The body of Ruben Orboi, according to the evidence of hospital staff witnesses, was taken away by an ambulance of one of the services (angkatan).

According to Asmara Nababan, the final report of the Komnas HAM team which came to Irian Jaya will be released in Jakarta, after being considered in plenary session. The mission was a fact-finding one, but the facts must be analysed and would later form the basis of conclusions and recommendations.

“The whole process of analysis, drawing conclusion and making recommendations was completed in Jakarta, even though there were certain matters which could be announced in advance in Jayapura,” he said. The whole team had arrived in Irian Jaya on Wednesday (15/7) and would return to Jakarta on Sunday (19/7) during the day.

Timika

Concerning the fact-funding in Timika, this was in response to a report from three church leaders who suspected that violations of human rights by security forces may have occurred in the central highlands area. Asmara Nababan and Clementino  Dos Reis Amaral from Komnas HAM arrived in Timika on Wednesday (15/7) with the task of completing the verification of data contained in reports of extrajudicial killings, disappearances and people sustaining injuries in the Central Highlands in the time interval between the release of hostage Tim Laurentz and the beginning of this year. Komnas HAM was there last month and the current visit is to wind up the investigation.

Amaral added that both in Timika and in the interior in the Central Highlands his people had interviewed all witnesses. Although they were as yet unable to draw conclusions from the results, nevertheless it could be stated that the reports contained elements of truth. Whatever the conclusions, everything would be put together and studied in the plenary meeting.

As well, returning to the first visit of one month ago, Komnas HAM had received reports from the Evangelical Tabernacle Church of Indonesia (GKII) that apart from the 11 people, there were findings of the church itself of tens of others who had experienced the same fate as those 11 people, that is that they had suffered an abnormal fate (nasib yang tidak wajar).

However, as to clarifying the truth of those reports, this has not yet been done. To complete this work, Komnas HAM was assigning their correspondent in Jayapura, Marthen Ferry Kareth, SH to compile material and data in Timika to close this matter, said Asmara Nababan.

The Case of Uncen

According to Asmara Nababan, concerning the case of the Cenderawasih University (Uncen) the Komnas HAM team, comprising Baharuddin Lopa, Asmara Nababan, Clementino Dos Reis Amaral, B N Marbus and correspondent Marten Ferry Kareth, have already conducted various fact-finding activities. Two visits to the Uncen campus have been made, the first by B N Marbun together with Ferry Kareth on Friday (17/7) afternoon, and the second, by the whole team, on the following day.

On Saturday for the whole day until after dark, the Komnas HAM Team was at the Regional Public Hospital (RSUD) to see the casualty of the “3 July” shooting incident at the campus, Steven Suripatti (22 years), sixth semester student of the Uncen Law Faculty who was still in the intensive care unit and has died since on Monday (20/7).

Afterwards, Komnas HAM made an observational tour of the Uncen site, receiving chronological accounts of events given by Drs Piet Morin, lecturer in the Social and Political Studies Faculty and E S M Lewerissa SH, MH lecturer in the Faculty of Law, including the site of the free speech forum, the place of the beating of Sergeant Cl. 2 Dahlan of Jayapura Area Police Intelligence and the place where casualties Steven Suripatti and Carolina Onim (11 years) fell. (069)

                                                                                                            Translated 7/6/13: JG