Indonesian rights body says soldiers killed 12 civilians in Papua. Military denies claim
The National Human Rights Commission said 12 people had been shot dead during an operation against separatists in central Papua
The military said it had no information about the deaths, but the state-run rights commission said over the weekend that 12 people including women and children had been shot dead during an operation against separatists in central Papua on Tuesday. Dozens of others sustained serious injuries, it added.
The commission said it was investigating the deaths. It was not immediately clear whether the civilians were killed by Indonesian or rebel fire, or both.
“We condemn the enforcement operation against Papuan rebels that resulted in civilian casualties,” commission chief Anis Hidayah said in a statement.
“All forms of attacks against civilians, whether in situations of war or otherwise, carried out by state or non-state actors, constitute violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.”
The commission also urged Indonesia’s military to re-evaluate operations against Papuan rebels, she said.