Dozens of large demonstrations by West Papuans to mark a key anniversary of their homeland’s incorporation into Indonesia were met with mixed and sometimes violent responses by police.
Saturday was the anniversary of 1962’s infamous US-brokered New York Agreement under which Papua’s former colonial power, the Netherlands, agreed to transfer power over the territory to Indonesia. The agreement lacked any genuine consultation with West Papuans.
Peaceful demonstrations on Saturday in Sentani and Jayapura in particular were met with forced dispersal by police as well as alleged beatings, the use of rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons, leaving a number of demonstrators injured.
The demonstrations were organised by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and took place in several cities across Indonesian ruled Papua region as well as other parts of the republic including Jakarta and Makassar.
Human rights defenders report that while all of the demonstrations were closely monitored by police forces, in most cases they went without incident.
But they say forced dispersal and violence reported in several locations are a serious concern because they involve violation of the participants’ rights to express their opinions peacefully.
Seven members of the KNPB were reported to have sustained injuries as a result of police actions to disrupt the demonstration in Sentani.
In Jayapura, several students from Cenderawasih University were injured as police forcibly dispersed their demonstration.
In Makassar, a KNPB member was reportedly struck by a wire arrow fired by a member of an alleged community-based militia group.
In several areas, demonstrations were reported to have proceeded well, with no initial reports of forced dispersal, including in main centres of Merauke, Yahukimo, Wamena, Nabire, Sorong, Manokwari and Timika.
