Christmas killing spree and increased repression in West Papua
January 28, 2009
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There is mounting evidence that violence and repression in West Papua are intensifying. Over the Christmas and New Year period, there were several reports of killings and shootings, and a rise in ‘accidental deaths’ of Papua’s tribal people at the hands of the Indonesian military and police.
At least four Papuans have been ‘accidentally’ shot dead by police in West Papuan towns since Christmas and four bodies have been found dumped by the side of the road or in rivers.
A 13 year-old boy was ‘accidentally’ killed when police fired over the heads of a crowd after a dispute in a local market. In another incident, police fired on a group of Papuans celebrating New Year, killing one man. In retaliation for a violent response to this killing, police shot dead an eight year-old boy and destroyed local people’s houses.
On 9 January, Papua’s High Court extended the sentences of 11 Papuans who had been arrested for peacefully displaying the banned West Papuan flag, from eight months to between three and three and a half years.
There are also reports of renewed activity, supported by the Indonesian army, of the notorious Islamic militia group, Merah Putih (Red and White), in the highland town of Wamena.
Local people believe there are plans to publicly ‘launch’ the militia group in Papua next month in Mulima, an area where many of the worst human rights violations against Papuans have taken place. In the past, Indonesia used militia groups to fuel terrible violence in East Timor.
Papuan leaders fear that the shootings, killings and re-emergence of the militia suggests that the Indonesian authorities are trying to destabilise the already fragile situation in West Papua and generate even greater violence.
