# Military member alleged of beating Papuan man to death in Timika

**Publisher:** [Human Rights Monitor](https://humanrightsmonitor.org)
**Document ID:** HRM-CAS-052-2023
**Document Type:** Case
**Document URL:** https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/military-member-alleged-of-beating-papuan-man-to-death-in-timika/
**Issues:** security force violence | indigenous peoples
**Publication Date:** August 7, 2023
**Tags:** Indonesia | West Papua

## Summary
A military member allegedly killed twenty-six-year-old Mr Markus Kamisopa in the town of Timika, Papua Tengah Province, on 2 August 2023.

## Detailed Case Narrative
A military member allegedly killed twenty-six-year-old Mr Markus Kamisopa outside the town of Timika, Papua Tengah Province, on 2 August 2023. The incident occurred in front of a small store along the Timika-Pomako Road in [Mapuru Jaya](https://www.google.com/maps/place/KANTOR+MAPURUJAYA/@-4.674184,136.8052084,13z/data=!4m10!1m2!2m1!1sDistrict+government+office!3m6!1s0x68237f7854038e33:0x5e649d8ce116be13!8m2!3d-4.673053!4d136.8264436!15sChpEaXN0cmljdCBnb3Zlcm5tZW50IG9mZmljZZIBGmRpc3RyaWN0X2dvdmVybm1lbnRfb2ZmaWNl4AEA!16s%2Fg%2F11h77qhc7h?entry=ttu), Mimika Timur District, at 08:00 am. The fatal beating was reportedly triggered after a resident resented the victim for playing music loudly and called a TNI member to intervene. Mr Markus Kamisopa was brought to the Timika Hospital for medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries.

A video recorded shortly after the beating shows Mr Kamisopa unconsciously lying on the roadside while angry bystanders demolish the shop (see video below, source: independent HRD). The head of the XVII Cenderawasih Military Command, Colonel Herman Taryaman, denied the involvement of military personnel in the killing in a written statement to the local media outlet [Fajarpapua.com](https://fajarpapua.com/2023/08/04/terkait-tewasnya-markus-kamisopa-di-pomako-kodam-xvii-cendrawasih-nyatakan-informasi-keterlibatan-anggota-tni-tidak-benar/). The local police chief stated that the case would be investigated in coordination with the military police.

In response to the incident, relatives and local residents protested spontaneously and built a roadblock in front of the [Kompi Senapan A Yonif 757/GV Timika](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kompi+Senapan+A+Yonif+757%2FGV+Timika/@-4.674184,136.8052084,13z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1sDistrict+government+office!3m5!1s0x68247fc84f72fe7d:0x330bb20f4e318ded!8m2!3d-4.6814305!4d136.7956946!16s%2Fg%2F11jrkc1mj7?entry=ttu) Military Post around 10:00 am. They called upon the military to hold the perpetrator accountable for his involvement in the beating. By 02:07 pm, the Mapuru Jaya Police Chief and a military representative arrived at the scene and talked with the relatives and the community. They assured that the case will be investigated and the military personnel responsible for the beating would face legal consequences (see video below, source: independent HRD). The road blockade continued until 04:15 pm when the victim's body was handed over to the relatives at their residence.

### Video recorded at the site of crime shortly after the fatal beating
### Local police chief talking to community in Mapura Jaya in front of the [Kompi Senapan A Yonif 757/GV Timika](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kompi+Senapan+A+Yonif+757%2FGV+Timika/@-4.674184,136.8052084,13z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1sDistrict+government+office!3m5!1s0x68247fc84f72fe7d:0x330bb20f4e318ded!8m2!3d-4.6814305!4d136.7956946!16s%2Fg%2F11jrkc1mj7?entry=ttu) Military Post
### Roadblock in front of the [Kompi Senapan A Yonif 757/GV Timika](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kompi+Senapan+A+Yonif+757%2FGV+Timika/@-4.674184,136.8052084,13z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1sDistrict+government+office!3m5!1s0x68247fc84f72fe7d:0x330bb20f4e318ded!8m2!3d-4.6814305!4d136.7956946!16s%2Fg%2F11jrkc1mj7?entry=ttu) Military Post
![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Timika-EJK-Killing_Roadblock_1.jpg.jpeg)

![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Timika-EJK-Killing_Roadblock_8.jpg.jpeg)

![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Timika-EJK-Killing_Roadblock_10.jpg.jpeg)

![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Timika-EJK-Killing_Roadblock_16.jpg.jpeg)

![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Timika-EJK-Killing_Roadblock_17.jpg.jpeg)

![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Timika-EJK-Killing_Roadblock_23.jpg.jpeg)

## Incident Period & Location
- **Start Date:** August 2, 2023
- **End Date:** August 2, 2023
- **Period Type:** Single Day
- **Reference Date:** August 2, 2023 (used for chronological ordering)
- **Location:** - Mapuru Jaya
- **Geographic Coordinates (WGS84):** -4.65397917984, 136.84368712484
- **Google Maps:** https://maps.google.com/?q=-4.65397917984,136.84368712484
- **Administrative Regions:**
  - **Region 1:** Indonesia (Country) > Central Papua (Province) > Mimika (Regency) > East Mimika (District)

## Victims
**Total number of victims:** 1

| Count | Name | Age | Gender | Groups | Violations |
|-------|------|-----|--------|--------|------------|
| 1 person | Markus Kamisopa | 26 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | execution |

## Perpetrators
**Perpetrator Category Paths:**
- **Category 1:** Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Other Security Forces

- **Perpetrator Description:** Private Budi Herwanto and three other officers