Markus Makur, Timika – A junior high school student was killed by arrow shots in the wake of a tribal conflict between two rival groups in Timika, Papua, residents said Tuesday.
The death of Isodorus Edoway, 13, increased the toll from the series of clashes in Kwamki Lama village, Timika, to three people.
The conflict involved the upstream and downstream groups in the village. It had started with open clashes, but was now turning into guerrilla warfare.
Witnesses said Edoway was ambushed by some 15 members of the downstream group Monday and shot with arrows.
The attack took place as the victim was on his way home from the Gereja Indonesia Education Foundation junior high school in Kwamki Lama using an ojek (motorcycle taxi), they added.
Edoway initially wanted to go to school but, because there were no classes being held in the school due to the ongoing tribal war in the village for the past two weeks, he went home by ojek from Kwamki Lama to his house in Gang Degama, Timika.
The downstream group apparently were not only targeting those from the upstream group but also people from other tribes in Kwamki Lama who were not involved in the tribal feud.
Moments after the attack, Mobile Brigade officers arrived at the incident scene and found Edoway in a critical condition. He was rushed to the Mitra Masyarakat Hospital in Timika to get medical treatment but later died from the eight arrow wounds.
On Tuesday afternoon, Edoway was laid out at his home in Gang Degama before being buried.
Earlier, on Jan. 17, a resident from the downstream group, Namon Kogoya, 28, was found dead with 23 arrow wounds all over his body behind the Indonesian Air Force housing complex.
Previous open clashes between the two rival groups in Kwamki Lama since Jan. 4 had claimed the lives of two people and injured dozens of others.
Local officials in Mimika held an impromptu meeting on Monday at the Mimika regency legislative council following the latest death from the tribal war.
The meeting was attended by all council members, Mimika administration secretary Martyn Giyai, Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhammad Sagi and Mimika Military Command chief Lt. Col. Refrizal.
Councilor Karel Gwijangge expressed deep regret over the death of Edoway.
Dwijangge said Edoway's death was purely police negligence for not being assertive in arresting and charging those involved in the conflict in Kwamki Lama.
"This is no longer a customary issue, but purely a criminal one. The perpetrators who attacked the student [Edoway] should be arrested and prosecuted.
"The attack on the student is categorized as a human rights violation and stern action should be taken against them," Dwijangge said.