Unresolved Tragedy: The Need for Justice in the Murder of Pastor Yeremia

JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – Four years after the tragic torture and murder of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani (68), the investigation into the case involving members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) remains incomplete, with justice still elusive and violence persisting in Papua, according to Amnesty International Indonesia.

“The fate of Pastor Yeremia is just one of many extrajudicial killings in Papua involving military personnel that lack proper and effective resolution. The investigation into this case has not fulfilled the demand for justice,” stated Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia.

On the afternoon of September 19, 2020, Pastor Yeremia was brutally tortured and shot in his pigpen located in Bomba Village, Intan Jaya District, Papua. A church leader in Papua, who communicated with the victim’s family shortly after the incident, indicated that TNI personnel were responsible for the violence.

Initially, authorities, including police and military, denied the incident. The Papua Police claimed it was an act by an armed criminal group seeking global attention before the upcoming UN General Assembly.

However, investigations by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), a joint fact-finding team led by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, and independent community activists concluded that security forces were indeed involved in the murder.

Investigations revealed that Pastor Yeremia died from blood loss after being shot in the left arm from less than one meter away and subjected to other forms of violence, including being forced to kneel. Evidence of this abuse was found on his body.

Komnas HAM identified a TNI member, Alpius, Deputy Commander of the Hitadipta Preparation Sub-District, as the suspected shooter based on testimonies from the victim’s wife and other witnesses.

During a reading of the joint investigative team’s findings on October 21, 2020, the then Coordinating Minister, Mahfud Md, indicated that the death of Pastor Yeremia involved rogue military personnel.

However, the legal process has been slow and opaque, with the case transferred to a military court instead of a civilian one. The TNI maintains that due to the involvement of its members, the case must go through military jurisdiction, citing a law from the New Order era.

Despite the law indicating that military personnel should face civilian courts for criminal violations, the trial for Pastor Yeremia’s murder began only on July 4, 2022, in the Jayapura Military Court, charging three TNI soldiers.

On June 30, 2023, the court found the soldiers guilty of murder but sentenced them to just one year in prison and minimal fines, far below the prosecution’s request for 15 years and dismissal from service. Subsequent appeals have upheld this lenient ruling.

“The legal proceedings surrounding Pastor Yeremia’s murder highlight ongoing impunity. TNI soldiers are not held accountable under civilian law as mandated,” Usman said. “High-ranking TNI officials who should be held responsible for this murder remain untouched by the law, reflecting a lack of seriousness from the state in addressing this case.”

Such circumstances have contributed to the continued occurrence of extrajudicial killings in Papua, with Amnesty reporting at least 132 cases resulting in 242 civilian deaths between February 3, 2018, and August 20, 2024, primarily by security forces.

Amnesty urges the government and the House of Representatives to reform military judicial processes by revising Military Law No. 31 of 1997. This revision should ensure that criminal law violations by military personnel are addressed through civilian courts, aligning with the mandates of the TNI Law No. 34 of 2004. Only through these steps can genuine justice be achieved and long-standing impunity be dismantled.

Additionally, Amnesty calls for an immediate halt to military operations in Papua, which often trigger violence against civilians. “The presence of military forces in Papua does not ensure safety; it continues to endanger the lives of Indigenous Papuans and exacerbates ongoing conflicts,” Usman stated.

“We not only remember Pastor Yeremia Zanambani, who was brutally tortured and murdered without justice but also all victims of violence in Papua. Yeremia was a caring uncle searching for his missing nephews, Apinus and Luther Zanambani, who were also killed by TNI members. Justice must be served, impunity must end, and humanity in Papua must be prioritized.”. (Uki Ruknuddin)