The 1996 Timika shooting () was a mass shooting that took place on 15 April 1996 at the Mozes Kilangin Airport, Timika, Irian Jaya (now Central Papua), Indonesia, by a member of Kopassus Sec. Lt. Sanurip. Sixteen people were killed and eleven others were injured.
Chronology According to military spokesmen, Sanurip was reprimanded by another officer for being noisy when he awoke in a hangar that was used by the military as a commando post since the riots in Timika had erupted. As a reaction to this Sanurip began firing with his assault rifle at about 7 a.m. He first shot five other military personnel, including Lieutenant Colonel Adel Gustinigo, commander of Detachment 81, the counter-terrorist arm of the Indonesian army's elite special forces, as well as a major and captain, and then shot indiscriminately at anyone, while running out of the hangar.Musibah di Timika , Kompas (16 April 1996)ABRI Officer Kills 15 in Timika , Kompas (17 April 1996)
Within seconds he killed 16 people – five Kopassus officers, six ABRI soldiers and five civilians, one of them New Zealander Michael Findlay, a helicopter pilot working for Airfast – and injuring another 13 people, ten ABRI officers and three civilians. Sanurip was ultimately subdued by other soldiers after being shot in the leg.
It is believed that he fired 52 shots in total during his attack on the Airport.
Motive The motive behind the rampage was not immediately known, though it was suggested that Sanurip was suffering from depression and was not in a healthy state, perhaps due to a malaria infection.
It was further reported that an army transporter, carrying two soldiers killed in Mapenduma, made a fuel stop at Timika airport that morning, and that Sanurip began shooting after seeing their remains and realising that one of them was a friend of his, though it was stated by military spokesmen this information was not true and that there was no connection between the arrival of the bodies and the mass murder.
Also repudiated were initial reports that there was a heated argument between Sanurip and his superiors prior to the shooting.14 shot dead as Indonesian officer runs amok , The Australian (16 April 1996) Jakarta names NZ pilot killed in shooting , The Australian (17 April 1996)
Victims Among those who were killed:Six Victims of Timika Shooting Buried in Sorong , Indonesia Media Network (17 April 1996)Kopassus Berkabung, Bendera Setengah Tiang Berkibar di Tengah Republika (18 April 1997)Anggota ABRI Yang Tewas Dimakamkan di Irian Jaya , Kompas (17 April 1996)
Lieutenant Colonel Adel Gustimigo, 37, Detachment 81/Kopassus Major Gunawan, Detachment 81/Kopassus Captain Djatmiko, 328th Airborne Infantry/Kostrad Sergeant Major Yaswanto, Kopassus First Sergeant Manasye, Komando Rayon Militer
Sergeant 2nd class Joko, 752nd Battalion/Kodam VIII/Trikora Private Kasiyanto, 752nd Battalion/Kodam VIII/Trikora Private Misdiyono, 752nd Battalion/Kodam VIII/Trikora Private Mochtar, 752nd Battalion/Kodam VIII/Trikora Private Rudy, 752nd Battalion/Kodam VIII/Trikora Private Triyono, 752nd Battalion/Kodam VIII/Trikora
Antonio Budi Afianto, Airfast technician Darmanto Michael Findlay, Airfast pilot Jimmy Watusile Unnamed civilian
Among those wounded was Airfast employee Sarjito.Penembak di Timika, Kemungkinan Pelaku Sudah Dibawa Ke Jakarta Republika (18 April 1996)
Two Kopassus and one Kostrad treated in Gatot Subroto Civilian in Pondok Indah Four in Jakarta.
Aftermath Sanurip was sentenced to death by a military tribunal in Jayapura on 23 April 1997. After the decision was made public, Amnesty International uttered concerns, because the court had rejected evidence regarding Sanurip's mental health.Death penalty, Amnesty International (25 April 1997)
The Military High Court in Surabaya dismissed his appeal on 18 June 1997, and also discharged him from the Indonesian Armed Forces and ordered him to pay a nominal court fee, whereupon he lodged an appeal to the Indonesian Supreme Court.Death Penalty Appeal in Timika Case , Amnesty International (18 September 1997)
He later died in a hospital.
A military tribunal rejected the defence that Second Lieutenant Sanurip was suffering from malaria-induced depression.
The shooting is one of the deadliest workplace shootings in modern history.
See also Papua conflict Fort Lauderdale airport shooting
References
External links GATRA - Setelah Kata-kata Tidak Berdaya (25 May 1996) ALMARHUM LETKOL ADEL IKUT NAIK PANGKAT (30 May 1996) Pelaku Musibah Timika akan Segera Disidangkan (9 November 1996) "MASIH DIGUNAKANNYA HUKUMAN MATI" (14 May 1997) FAKSI SIAPA YANG MENEMBAK YUN HAP? (28 September 1999) ABRI Officer Rages in Timika, Kills 14 People Special Team Reports Timika Findings to President Hostage Liberation TAPOL Version Riot shuts down world's largest gold mine Soldier to face firing squad in Indonesia