Nabire, Jubi – The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) battalion commander of Ndulamo region, Aibon Kogoya, admitted to being involved in the shooting at Mbamogo Base in Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua Province, on Wednesday (22/11/2023).
Kogoya claimed his party targeted a vehicle transporting several police officers investigating a mine explosion that injured an elementary school student named Misana Hasinijau from Titigi YPPK Elementary School on November 9, 2023, in Titigi District, Intan Jaya Regency.
In a Whatsapp message received by Jubi, Aibon Kogoya said his troops fired upon three security force vehicles passing through Titigi, hitting one pickup truck while the other two remained unaffected.
Contradicting the statement made by Adj. Sr. Comr. Bayu Suseno, the spokesperson of the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force, Kogoya claimed that two security personnel were fatally shot instead of one. Following the shooting, Kogoya’s group engaged in a firefight before withdrawing due to what he described as a forceful attack by the security forces.
Kogoya justified their actions as a resistance against investments in Papua, citing entities like PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika, the Wabu Block in Intan Jaya, and oil and gas operations in Agimuga as detrimental to the Papuan people.
He asserted their determination to persist until Papua achieves independence, vowing to confront security forces whom they view as supporters of Indonesian colonialism and facilitators of destructive investments in Papua. (*)
