Jakarta, Jubi – The Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police had been investigating a case in which "a stray bullet" hit a resident, Andres Bewarmbo, when the police and the military tried to disperse an angry crowd in Kampung Pomako in Mimika Regency, Papua on March 7, 2021.
Bewarmbo, 20, was being treated in the hospital after the bullet hit his left chest, right though his back.
Bewarmbo parents' had met with Mimika Deputy Regent, John Rettob, to give the family Rp 5 billion in compensation, Antara news agency reported on March 9. Andreas Bewarmbo's father, Silvester Bewarmbo, said Andreas was a bystander during the incident.
"We formed a joint internal affairs team from the police and the military police to investigate," Mimika Police chief Adj. Comr. IGG Era Adhinata said on March 9, 2021 as quoted by CNN Indonesia.
He said they did not know who shot the bullet. The security personnel that day comprised TNI and police officers, he said.
Earlier Era said the shots were launched by officers in the field after some people in the rally began throwing stones at the security personnel. He said some people brought arrows and bows too.
The crowd formed after a driver who was allegedly intoxicated was beaten. The drunk driver, Soter Moperteyau, was beaten by five drivers. The incident triggered the anger of the residents that chased the five drivers that stopped the drunk driver. The residents wanted the police to hunt the five people.
The police said two TNI soldiers got hurt in the face and the head after getting hit by some of the thrown stones. A police officer got hit on his back.
Papua Police spokesperson, Sr. Come. Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said it was the reason the officers did some warning shots.When one of the bullets hit a resident, the crowd got angrier, they blocked the main road in the area and burned wood and tires.
Antara news agency reported that the drunk driver, Moperteyau, was a resident in the area. Deputy Regent Rettob told the residents to stop blocking the main road, which connected Timika, the city center in Mimika, with the Pomako Port. The blockade disrupted economic activities, he said as quoted by Antara news agency.
Rettob promised that all the medical expenses of Bewarmbo would be paid by the administration.