CheckPapuaNow.com – Yeremia Zanambani, a respected pastor in Hitadipa Village, Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua, was tragically killed on September 19, 2020. Initially, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and police accused the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) of the shooting. However, after a more thorough investigation, it was strongly suspected that members of the TNI were involved in Yeremia’s death.
Pastor Yeremia was found by his wife, Meriam Zoani Zanambani, in a horrific state in a pigsty about 50 meters from their home. His body was severely wounded, with a gaping wound on his left arm measuring 5-7 cm, and a gunshot wound to the back of his neck. According to a report by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), Yeremia died from blood loss after sustaining non-lethal injuries and was still alive for approximately 5-6 hours after being discovered.
Initial Investigation and Allegations
Initially, the TNI and police maintained that the KKB was responsible for Yeremia’s death, claiming that the group was trying to provoke international attention ahead of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled for late September 2020. However, these claims were refuted by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), whose spokesperson, Sebby Sambon, accused the TNI of lying about the incident. Sebby pointed out that similar cases had occurred before, such as the shooting of Pastor Gemin Nirigi in 2018.
“This is not the first time the TNI has lied to the public. They denied involvement in the shooting of the previous pastor, but it was later proven otherwise,” Sebby Sambon stated, as quoted from various sources.
Joint Fact-Finding Team Investigation
In response to the public uproar, the government formed a Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) in October 2020 to investigate Yeremia’s death. The TGPF’s investigation revealed that TNI personnel were indeed involved in the incident. Komnas HAM suspected that the extrajudicial killing was carried out by a TNI member from the Hitadipa provisional military command.
Alpius Hasim Madi, the Deputy Commander of the Hitadipa military command at the time, was named a prime suspect based on witness testimony placing him at the crime scene. Additionally, the investigation found at least 19 bullet holes in and around the pigsty, which were believed to have been deliberately fired to obscure the facts of the shooting.
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Yeremia’s Relationship with the TNI
Pastor Yeremia served as the Head of the Indonesian Evangelical Church (GKII) in Hitadipa. He was accused of being involved in KKB activities that targeted TNI members around Intan Jaya. These accusations surfaced following a series of shootings that resulted in the deaths of TNI personnel Sergeant Major Sahlan and Private First Class Dwi Akbar Utomo in September 2020. However, these allegations lacked evidence, and Yeremia was one of six individuals labeled as enemies by the TNI for frequently questioning the whereabouts of two of his family members who had disappeared, allegedly at the hands of security forces.
On the afternoon of September 19, 2020, Yeremia went to the pigsty with his wife, but he never returned. His wife later found his body lying in a terrible condition, showing signs of torture before his death.
Human Rights Violations in Papua
The case of Yeremia Zanambani adds to the growing list of suspected human rights violations in Papua. Amnesty International Indonesia recorded at least 15 cases of extrajudicial killings in 2020, with a total of 22 victims. Most of these cases involved the police and military.
The root cause of this issue lies in the long-standing conflict between pro-independence narratives in Papua and the Indonesian government’s efforts to maintain Papua as part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). Unfortunately, many attempts to resolve the conflict have been through military approaches, which have only deepened the wounds and trauma experienced by the Papuan people toward state security forces.
Pastor Yeremia’s death leaves many questions unanswered, both for his family and for the Papuan community, who mourn the loss of a spiritual leader. To this day, the legal process surrounding the suspected violations by security forces remains unresolved, despite the acknowledgment of TNI involvement in this tragic event.
Source: Kompas.
