Telkomsel BTS tower shooting

On 2 March 2022, gunmen of the Free Papua Movement attacked and killed eight workers at a Telkomsel telecommunications facility (BTS 3) in Beoga, Puncak Regency, in the Central Papua province of Indonesia.[3]

Telkomsel BTS tower shooting
Part of the Papua conflict
Aerial photograph of the terrain near Beoga.
LocationBeoga, Puncak Regency, Central Papua, Indonesia
Date2 March 2022 (2022-03-02)
03:00[1] (UTC+09:00)
TargetPT Palapa Timur Telematika employees
Attack type
attack on communications tower
WeaponsAutomatic firearms[2]
Deaths8
Injured1
PerpetratorsWest Papua Liberation Organization
No. of participants
12

Background

The technicians were fixing the building's transceiver when around twelve militants attacked the structure and began gunning them down. One of the workers managed to flee and sent a message via the building's CCTV to Telkomsel's headquarters in Jakarta.[4] One survivor of the attack is Nelson Sarira, while the other eight killed victims are Bona Simanullang, Billy Garibaldi, Renaltagasye Tentua, Jamaludin, Eko Septiansyah, Syahril Nurdiansyah, Ibo, and Bebi Tabuni.[5]

The West Papua Liberation Organization claimed responsibility for the killings. The group's spokesman, Sebby Sambom, said the movement had previously told civilians to leave the area and that "There is no reason to justify that they are civilians when we have announced all immigrants to immediately leave the war zone."[6]

The attack was condemned by many Indonesian authorities, including local military official Aqsha Erlannga, who described the shooting as an "extraordinary crime."[6] As well as, general tribal leader of Dani from Puncak Regency, Abelom Kogoya as one of the victim Bebi Tabuni was the son of Dani tribal head from Gome, Ilaga District, Abeloni Tabuni, both condemned the attack. Abelom Kogoya further declared the KKB (armed gunmen) to not be part of family anymore and will secure them for authorities if they take further actions, "Otherwise why would they kill this son (Bebi), they only destroy Ilaga, burning and killing".[7]

The attack was one of the deadliest incidents in the recent history of the Papua conflict, which has been ongoing since 1962.[8][9]

References
  1. "BPJS Ketenagakerjaan Pastikan Santunan Bagi Pekerja Korban Penembakan di Distrik Beoga Papua". Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  2. McBeth, John (8 March 2022). "Indonesia, UN at daggers drawn on Papua". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  3. "Rebels in Indonesia's Papua Shoot Dead 8". 4 March 2022. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  4. Kartono, Alfian (3 March 2022). "Rebel gunmen kill 8 technicians in Indonesia's restive Papua". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  5. "Identitas Lengkap 8 Jenazah Karyawan PT PTT Korban KKB di Beoga Puncak". detiksulsel (in Indonesian). 7 March 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  6. "Indonésie: huit techniciens tués par des rebelles papous". RFI (in French). 4 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  7. Ramdhani, Jabbar (9 March 2022). "Beby Tabuni Dibunuh, Kepala Suku Umum Puncak Papua Minta Warga Tolak KKB". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  8. Widianto, Stanley (4 March 2022). Davies, Ed (ed.). "Separatists in Indonesia's Papua kill 8 workers at telecom tower". Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022 – via www.reuters.com.
  9. Strangio, Sebastian. "Separatist Fighters Kill 8 Telecom Technicians in Papua Province". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.

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