[Kabar-indonesia] Killed fisherman buried back home in Papua

[Joyo at aol.com]

The Jakarta Post
Saturday, August 12, 2006

Killed fisherman buried back home in Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

A fisherman shot dead by the Papua New Guinea military was laid to rest 
Friday at an Islamic cemetery in Waena, Jayapura, as calls increased for an 
investigation into the border incident.

The fisherman, Mulyadi, is survived by his wife, 26-year-old Nur Jannah 
Bandaso, and two young children, 19-month-old Randa and Randi, seven months.

Mulyadi's remains arrived in Jayapura on Thursday, after they were delivered 
by the Indonesian Consulate General in Vanimo Ignatius Christanyo Hardoyo and 
Sandaun province police chief Richard M. Molou.

The shooting occurred on Tuesday, a day after Mulyadi and nine other 
fishermen identified as Hamid, Oval, Hamka, Nasrul, Dawi, Seri, Lompo, Tuamara and 
Lupus, left from Palopo to Papua aboard the Buana Jaya fishing boat.

Two other fishermen were injured in the incident and are being treated at the 
Vanimo Hospital while seven others have been detained by the PNG military.

On behalf of the victims' families, a spokesman for the fishermen, Rusdin Ali 
Patung, urged the Indonesian and the PNG governments Friday to repatriate the 
two injured fishermen.

"We are very concerned, we don't know whether our brothers are lightly or 
seriously injured. We want the Indonesian and Papua New Guinea governments to 
bring them home," he said.

He also demanded Indonesia thoroughly investigate the incident. "Our brothers 
are human. Why is it so easy to take away their lives? Why were they shot at 
only because they were suspected for trespassing over the country's border? 
Did they really break any laws?" he said.

Following the incident, the Foreign Ministry summoned PNG Ambassador to 
Indonesia Cristopher Siaoa Mero on Thursday to convey the country's anger about the 
shooting of the fishermen.

"This is the first act of violence by Papua New Guinea authorities that has 
claimed an Indonesian fisherman's life. We don't know yet if the fishermen had 
crossed the border but whatever their mistake, we can't accept the shooting," 
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said.

He said the government had demanded PNG investigate who was responsible for 
the order to shoot the fisherman.

------------------------------------------
Joyo Indonesia News Service
------------------------------------------