# Soldiers found guilty of killing two Papuans in Timika and dismissed from military service

**Publisher:** [Human Rights Monitor](https://humanrightsmonitor.org)
**Document ID:** HRM-CAS-034-2022
**Document Type:** Case
**Document URL:** https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/military-members-found-guilty-of-killing-two-papuans-in-timika-and-dismissed-from-military-service/
**Issues:** security force violence | indigenous peoples
**Publication Date:** July 12, 2022
**Tags:** Indonesia | West Papua

## Summary
Human rights defenders and media outlets reported the killing of two Papuan young men by members of the Indonesian military on 13 April 2020. According to relatives, Eden Armando Bebari and Ronny Wandik went at 8am to a river at Mile 34 inside the Freeport concession area to catch fish. In the evening, relatives looked for Eden and Ronny because they had not returned to their homes. Their relatives only found the motorcycles at Mile 34. Around 11.30 pm, rumors spread in the town of Timika that soldiers of the military mobile border security unit Gab YR 712 and YR 900 had shot dead two members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB). The following day, the relatives were informed that the bodies of Eden and Ronny had been brought to the public hospital in Mimika.
More than two years later judges at the III-17 Military Court in Manado have found Lieutenant Gabriel Bowie Wijaya and Private Sugi Harnoto guilty of killing two Papuans in Timika.

## Detailed Case Narrative
On 6 July 2022 Judges at the III-17 Military Court in Manado found Lieutenant Gabriel Bowie Wijaya and Private Sugi Harnoto guilty of [killing Mr Eden Bebari and Mr Roni Wandik in Timika on 13 April 2020](https://humanrightspapua.org/news/2020/two-papuans-shot-dead-in-mimika-miltary-members-allegedly-confused-victims-with-resistance-fighters/) during a verdict hearing in Manado, North Sulawesi. The defendant Letda Inf Gabriel Bowie Wijaya was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment and dismissed from military service, while Praka Sugi Harnoto was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment and dismissed from military service.. The two military members had been charged with Article 338 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) on murder and Article 170 (2)3 KUHP on using collective force to commit violence resulting in death. Lieutenant Gabriel Bowie Wijaya was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, while Private Sugi Harnoto received an imprisonment sentence of six years. Previously, the prosecutor had demanded sentences of ten and nine years imprisonment for the defendants.

The legal process against two other suspects, Mr Bahari Muhrim and Mr Vicente de Oliveira, is still pending. They shall be tried in a separate trial because both soldiers are affiliated with the IX/Udayana Military Command. The current status of the law enforcement process against them is not clear.

Following the verdict, the director of the Association of Human Rights Lawyers for Papua (Paham Papua), Mr [Gustaf Kawer, declared](https://jubi.id/tanah-papua/2022/paham-papua-apresiasi-putusan-hakim-untuk-anggota-tni-pembunuh-eden-ronal/) "We appreciate the judge's verdict against the two perpetrators, especially that both have been dismissed from military service. This is important and becomes a lesson for other troops in Papua to be more careful in carrying out their duties. They must pay more attention to the culture and develop a sense of humanity towards the local communities.” Paham Papua has been providing legal counsel to the victim`s relatives since April 2020.

Kawer hopes that similar future cases will be settled through a human rights court. In contrast to the military tribunal mechanism, a military court process provides a higher possibility to hold high-ranking military members accountable for human rights violations.

In late March 2022, the [victims’ relatives received information](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/news/impunity-military-trial-on-killing-of-two-civilians-in-mimika-regency-planned-to-start-relatives-demand-tribunal-to-take-place-in-timika/) that the trial against the suspects Lieutenant Gabriel Bowie Wijaya, Staff Sergeant Vicente de Oliviera Santos, Private Bahari Muhrim, and Private Sugi Harnoto will not take place in Timika but in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province. Human rights observers and relatives understood the change of location as an attempt to impede relatives and witnesses from attending the trial. They called upon the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to urge the military prosecutor that the trial shall be held in Timika, where the shooting occurred.

The trial against Lieutenant Gabriel Bowie Wijaya and Private Sugi Harnoto was finally held in the city of Manado, North Sulawesi Province.

## Incident Period & Location
- **Start Date:** April 13, 2020
- **End Date:** April 13, 2020
- **Period Type:** Single Day
- **Reference Date:** April 13, 2020 (used for chronological ordering)
- **Location:** - Mile 34 in Kuala Kencana District
- **Geographic Coordinates (WGS84):** -4.41944246057, 136.8925845589
- **Google Maps:** https://maps.google.com/?q=-4.41944246057,136.8925845589
- **Administrative Regions:**
  - **Region 1:** Indonesia (Country) > Papua Province (Province) > Mimika (Regency) > Kuala Kencana (District)
  - **Region 2:** Indonesia (Country) > Central Papua (Province) > Mimika (Regency) > Kuala Kencana (District)

## Victims
**Total number of victims:** 2

| Count | Name | Age | Gender | Groups | Violations |
|-------|------|-----|--------|--------|------------|
| 1 person | Eden Armando Bebari | 20 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | execution |
| 1 person | Ronny Wandik | 23 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | execution |

## Perpetrators
**Perpetrator Category Paths:**
- **Category 1:** Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Military (TNI)

- **Perpetrator Description:** military mobile border security unit Gab YR 712 and YR 900

## Sources
1. **Source** - [Two Papuans shot dead in Mimika - Military members allegedly mistook victims for resistance fighters - International Coalition for Papua (humanrightspapua.org)](https://humanrightspapua.org/news/2020/two-papuans-shot-dead-in-mimika-miltary-members-allegedly-confused-victims-with-resistance-fighters/)
   - Public Source: Yes