RI SOLDIER SHOOTS CIVILIAN NEAR PNG BORDER

Jayapura, Papua, June 23 (ANTARA) - An Indonesian soldier patrolling an area near the border with Papua New Guinea (PNG) shot an inhabitant of Kibai, Arso Timur, Keerom District, Papua, on Monday at 2 pm local time.

"The Indonesian soldier patrolling the border area shot Isak Psakor. His body is currently being laid at Kibai kampong, waiting for further process," Father John Jonga, head of the Keerom Catholic church, said at Arso, Keerom District, Papua, on Tuesday.

According to Anton Psakor, the victim's father, his three children, namely Isak, Wens and John Psakor, were walking from Skowt Jauh kampong to Air Asin kampong, at East Arso, which shares border with PNG, on Monday (June 22).

On their way, they encountered with a dog who kept on barking at them. They were scared of the dog, so they ran and climbed a tree in the middle of a jungle at East Arso.

Suddenly, there was a gunshot and later Wens and John Psakor saw their brother, Isak Psakor, fell down to the ground.

The two brothers shouted at the soldier, "We are inhabitants of Kibai kampong, why you shot our brother?." After listening to the shouting, the soldier patrolling in the forest located in the Indonesian-PNG border, ran away.

They later covered their brother's body with leaves and ran to their home to inform their father about the incident, according to Father John Jonga quoting Anton Psakor.

Lt. Col. Inf. Susilo, a spokesman of the military district command XVII/Cenderawasih, confirmed about the shooting incident in the RI-PNG border which caused one civilian to die.

"Yest, it's true there was a shooting by soldier patrolling Bewan Border Post, Keerom District. The incident is now being investigated," he said.

Meanwhile, the customary community of Keerom District, demanded the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) to be responsible for the shooting which killed Isak Psakor.

"We the inhabitants of Keerom demand responsibility of TNI," Chief of the Keerom Customary Community Servo Tuamis told the press here on Tuesday.

TNI must legally process the soldier who shot the civilian, he said.