Mako Tabuni
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Mako Tabuni (died June 14, 2012) was a Papua New Guinea activist for Papuan interests, and the deputy chairman of the
National Committee for West Papua The National Committee for West Papua (, abbreviated KNPB) is an organization in Western New Guinea, Papua, Indonesia that campaigns peacefully for a self-determination referendum for Indigenous people of New Guinea, Papuans. It was established on 1 ...
.


The National Committee for West Papua (KNPB)

On 19 November 2008 the National Committee for West Papua (abbreviated KNPB, Komite Nasional Papua Barat) was established by a number of Papuan ngo's. The KNPB campaigns for the right to self-determination for the people of Papua of West New Guinea. This right was withheld from the Papuans in 1969 with the
Act of Free Choice The Act of Free Choice () was a controversial plebiscite held between 14 July and 2 August 1969 in which 1,025 people selected by the Indonesian military in Western New Guinea voted unanimously in favor of Indonesian control. The event was men ...
, which was rigged. The KNPB advocates a referendum to determine the political future of West Papua (i.e. West New Guinea). It cooperates for this purpose with the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) and the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP).; Mako Tabuni was born in Wamena. Mako and members of his family were themselves victims of human rights violations in West Papua, 1980.


Killing

In May 2012, a German tourist, Pieter Dietmar Helmut was non-fatally shot while swimming with his wife in Base G beach, the perpetrators were later revealed to be members of extremist faction of KNPB led by Mako Tabuni, three members were later caught and charged with manslaughter. On June 14, 2012, Mako was killed, as he was walking near his home in Waena, without any further warning by Indonesian police in plain clothes, sparking massive and violent protests and riots. Activists have since claimed that Tabuni was killed intentionally, which is a breach of the law. The police spokesman said that he was shot because he
resisted arrest ...
. However, the police view was challenged by eyewitnesses. These also claimed that Mako was still alive when he entered the police hospital in Jayapura and that he died while in police custody.


Response

Indonesia President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (born 9 September 1949), commonly referred to as SBY, is an Indonesian politician and retired Indonesian Army, army general who served as the sixth president of Indonesia from 2004 to 2014 and the second president of Ind ...
conceded that the Indonesian security forces have overreacted at times but also mentioned that the attacks were "on a small scale with limited victims." In an official statement, national police chief General Timur Pradopo said that Tabuni was killed after he grabbed a weapon from a policeman attempting to arrest him and escaped, while also adding that investigation revealed that Tabuni had a loaded gun with 18 bullets. He was wanted for "causing unrest in the province", according to Papua
police chief A chief of police (COP) is the title given to an appointed official or an elected one in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. A chief of police may also be known as a police chief or sometimes just a chief, ...
Major General Bigman Lumban Tobing. Representatives of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, who interviewed eyewitnesses, stated that Tabuni was suddenly and unexpectedly shot dead by an ununiformed gunman as he walked alone near a housing complex. Following Tabuni's death, a large group of furious protesters went on a rampage in
Jayapura Jayapura (formerly Hollandia (1910-1962), Kota Baru (1962-1963), Soekarnopura (1963-1968)) is the capital city, capital and List of Indonesian cities by population, largest city of the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of Papua (provi ...
, many of them carrying
machetes A machete (; ) is a broad blade used either as an agricultural implement similar to an axe, or in combat like a long-bladed knife. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the Spanish language, the word is possibly a dimin ...
and
arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
s. Shops were closed during the mass riots, and many citizens were afraid to leave their homes. But as the outrage worsens, tribal and independence leaders from are urging their followers to maintain discipline, fearing that a violent reaction will give the Indonesian police the justification they need to destroy the independence movement. Said political prisoner Selphius Bobii,


Funeral

After Tabuni's death, police authorities initially refused to pass his body to his family, saying that they would perform Tabuni's burial themselves. They changed later their decision. Then, Tabuni's family could collect his body from the Bhayangkara Police Hospital, ahead of the burial, which took place on June 16, 2012, in Wamena.Nethy Dharma Somba and Margareth S. Aritonang (June 16, 2012
Approach on Papua slammed
The Jakarta Post. Retrieved June 16, 2012.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabuni, Mako West Papuan independence activists 2012 deaths Year of birth missing