New wave of police violence in Papua

Indonesian police have unleashed a new wave of violence against the tribal people of Papua. Survival has received numerous reports of torture, mal-treatment and extra-judicial killings committed by the police this year.

Survival fears for the safety of Nelson Rumbiak, who was involved in clashes between students and police in March. He is currently in police custody, and has been severely beaten. Following the same clashes, police raided dormitories and assaulted many students. One, Dany Hisage, was killed.

Another man, Obet Kossay, was tortured to death by police in January. Two people were shot dead and many others tortured in the town of Wamena in May. In June, an 18 year old woman was raped and tortured to death by seven police officers, and in July a 19 year old woman, Selvi Kogoya, was shot dead by a police officer after she refused to have sex with him.

Survival has written to the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, urging him to bring an end to police violence in Papua and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

Papua is home to around 312 different tribes. All Papuan peoples have suffered terribly under the Indonesian occupation, which began in 1963.