8-4-2024 (JAKARTA) Tensions in Indonesia’s restive Papua region have escalated further after a deadly shootout between security forces and separatist rebels near one of the world’s largest gold mines. According to police reports, two prominent leaders of the Free Papua Movement were killed during the clash on Thursday near the mining town of Tembagapura in Central Papua province.
The fallen rebels were identified as Abubakar Kogoya, known as Abubakar Tabuni, and Damianus Magay, commonly referred to as Natan Wanimbo – both high-ranking commanders within the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the separatist group.
The shootout erupted after authorities received reports of suspected rebels storming a traditional gold panning facility in Kali Kuluk, causing widespread panic and prompting locals and villagers in the surrounding areas to flee. Kali Kuluk lies within the operational area of PT Freeport Indonesia, the company that runs the massive Grasberg gold mine.
Faizal Ramadani, who headed the joint security force, stated that the identities of the slain rebel leaders were confirmed after finding their identity cards on their bodies. “We also showed the bodies of both men to other imprisoned members of the liberation army on Friday for further confirmation,” he added.
Ramadani revealed that several other rebels were wounded during the intense firefight but managed to escape into the dense jungle. According to his account, the insurgents were armed with military-grade weapons, axes, and arrows, while security forces seized a gun from the area. The separatist group’s spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Grasberg gold mine, nearly half-owned by U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan, has long been a focal point of the Papuan separatist movement, viewed by rebels as a symbol of Indonesian rule over the region. The mine has frequently been targeted by insurgents, who have been fighting a low-level insurgency since the early 1960s when Indonesia annexed the former Dutch colony, following a widely criticized United Nations-sponsored ballot.
Ramadani described Tabuni as a central figure in the liberation army, stating that police records showed his involvement in several high-profile attacks in the area, including a March 2020 ambush that claimed the life of a New Zealander and injured six others, as well as a road ambush in October 2017 that left one police officer dead.
The Grasberg mine has been a source of controversy, with environmental groups accusing Freeport-McMoRan of causing significant damage to the surrounding territories through waste dumping. However, the mine also provides a significant tax income for the Indonesian government, according to local reports.
