West Papuan man filmed being bound and tortured in water-filled barrel allegedly by Indonesian soldiers
Footage depicting a West Papuan man bound in a water-filled barrel and subjected to brutal beatings and knife cuts, allegedly by Indonesian soldiers, has reignited calls for international intervention in the contested province.
The videos capturing the torture were reportedly recorded in early February during a military operation in the Omukia and Gome districts of Puncak regency, Central Papua province. The Guardian has viewed the footage but opted not to republish it.
The distressing videos show the man confined in a barrel filled with bloodied water. In one clip, he endures repeated punches, elbow strikes, stick hits, and kicks while sitting in the barrel, with blood visible from multiple wounds on his face and head. In another video, a knife is run over his already bleeding back while an individual holds his head, and he can be seen bleeding from his ear and head, visibly shivering.
The victim, with his arms restrained behind his back, does not offer resistance or speak during the assaults. The attackers are dressed in civilian attire, although at least one person is seen wearing camouflage pants matching the Indonesian military's uniform.
Menase Tabuni, the executive president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), condemned these attacks on civilians, stating, "This kind of action violates human values. No law can justify such heinous acts of torture as seen in the two video clips."
Tabuni urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to swiftly initiate an investigation into human rights violations and potential genocide threats against the Papuan people.
Despite negotiations for a visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to West Papua in 2018, supported publicly by over 100 countries, such a visit has yet to materialize.
Exiled West Papuan leader Benny Wenda, also the president of ULMWP, described the videos as "extreme and shocking," highlighting that they expose the everyday behavior of Indonesia in West Papua. Wenda emphasized that torture is widespread in the region, calling it a "mode of governance."
Rumadi Ahmad, a deputy chief of the Indonesian presidential staff, emphasized the government's commitment to development and security in Papua. However, he acknowledged that such acts, if proven true, would undermine these efforts and stressed the importance of holding individuals accountable for any wrongdoing.
The contested Indonesian provinces on the island of Papua collectively known as West Papua have been subject to Indonesian control since 1963, with allegations of severe human rights violations persisting over the decades. Indonesia maintains that these provinces are an integral part of its territory.
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