The tragic shooting that claimed the life of an Indonesian Junior Chancellery Officer, Zetro Leonardo Purba, in Peru on Sep. 1 has shocked the public and raised questions about the safety of Indonesian diplomats abroad.
Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) International Relations lecturer, Muhadi Sugiono, stated that it is premature to assume any political motive behind the incident before a full investigation is carried out.
Sugiono emphasized the importance of awaiting official investigation results to determine whether the case was purely a criminal act or involved political motives.
If the shooting was merely a crime, he explained, the incident could not be categorized as a targeted killing.
However, if political elements are proven, it could have far more serious implications for bilateral relations between the two countries.
“The main issue concerns diplomatic immunity, which must be questioned here. The Peruvian government needs to guarantee the safety of Indonesian representatives,” he said on Monday (Sep. 15).
Sugiono further explained that the protection of diplomats is absolute. Host countries bear full responsibility for safeguarding foreign diplomatic representatives, both while on duty and during daily activities outside the office.
“The problem is that not all countries have the capacity to provide complete protection, especially if diplomats are active in public spaces such as markets or parks,” he added.
Nevertheless, Sugiono assessed that Indonesia-Peru relations would not be directly disrupted as long as the Peruvian government is not proven to be involved.
The initial response, which included condolences and an investigation effort, was viewed positively. Authorities have already apprehended several suspects, including two Cuban nationals and three Venezuelans.
“It is too early to conclude that this was a contract killing. The motives still need to be examined more thoroughly,” the lecturer noted.
According to Sugiono, the Indonesian government should demand a transparent investigative process.
In addition, protecting the victim’s family and repatriating the body must remain priorities.
“Legally, the investigation process remains entirely under Peruvian authority,” he stressed.
Sugiono also advised that both the Indonesian government and the public remain patient while awaiting the investigation’s outcome. South America, he added, is known for its high crime rates.
“This may have been a case of mistaken identity or random killing. However, since the victim was a diplomat, the Peruvian government must provide detailed clarification to ensure it was not involved in the shooting of Indonesia’s Junior Chancellery Officer,” he concluded.
Author: Ika Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Illustration: Freepik