The Killing of Yawan Wayeni

On August 3, 2009, Yawen Wayeni of Matembu village, Serui, in the Indonesian province of Papua, was captured by Indonesian paramililtary police (BRIMOB). Wayeni was an escaped political prisoner who had been accused of burning police vehicles and buildings. At the time of his arrest, local NGO sources claim Wayeni was unarmed and not politically active. These same sources maintain that during interrogation into the whereabouts of local pro-independence guerillas (OPM/TPN), BRIMOB officers sliced Wayeni's abdomen open with a bayonet, causing his death. BRIMOB maintains that Wayeni's injuries came while he was resisting arrest with a homemade firearm. The following photos and video of the incident were taken by BRIMOB officers and leaked by unknown sources.
The Indonesian government rejects allegations of state violence in Papua, but as long as restrictions on international media and NGO access to Indonesian Papua – tight and growing tighter – remain in place, no independent verification of the facts will be possible, and actions of security forces will continue to be questioned.
If the situation in Indonesian Papua disturbs you, please contact your elected representatives. US citizens please ask your Congressman to support H Res 1355.
Please be advised that the following footage is graphic and could be distressing to some viewers.