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West Papua: Day of violence sees at least 27 dead | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A new wave of violence has hit the restive Indonesian region of West Papua after hundreds of protesters, mostly high school students, set fire to several buildings in a town on Monday. | |
At least 23 people died in the regional capital Wamena, some of whom were trapped inside burning buildings. | |
The protests were reportedly triggered by a teacher's racist comments - an allegation the police called a "hoax". | |
It's the latest violence in the region, which saw weeks of unrest in August. | It's the latest violence in the region, which saw weeks of unrest in August. |
The number of killed is expected to rise as the search for victims continues on Tuesday. | |
Four people died in a separate incident in the provincial capital of Jayapura, bringing the death toll to 27. | |
The incident in Jayapura took place after a mob of students reportedly attacked a soldier and police officers with machetes and rocks. | The incident in Jayapura took place after a mob of students reportedly attacked a soldier and police officers with machetes and rocks. |
The day of violence came after a period of relative calm in the region, which last month was rocked by mass demonstrations in response to claims of racism. | |
The previous protests stemmed from an incident where nationalist groups accused Papuan university students in Surabaya of damaging an Indonesian flag during Independence Day celebrations. | The previous protests stemmed from an incident where nationalist groups accused Papuan university students in Surabaya of damaging an Indonesian flag during Independence Day celebrations. |
The groups had goaded the students, calling them "monkeys", "pigs" and "dogs". | The groups had goaded the students, calling them "monkeys", "pigs" and "dogs". |
What happened on Monday? | |
On Monday, two separate attacks took place across Wamena and Jayapura in Papua. | |
The violence in Wamena was triggered by racist slurs directed at students by a teacher, said a spokesman for a West Papua separatist group. | |
However, Papua police denied this, calling it a "hoax". They said clashes broke out after a fight between students from different schools. | |
Papua military spokesman Eko Daryanto told news agency AFP the death toll from Monday's violence could rise, saying many civilians had been "trapped in burning kiosks". | Papua military spokesman Eko Daryanto told news agency AFP the death toll from Monday's violence could rise, saying many civilians had been "trapped in burning kiosks". |
Local military commander Chandra Dianto told the news agency that other victims were "burned... some were hacked to death". | |
He added that the military would continue to look for victims. | |
Meanwhile in Jayapura, clashes took place between security forces and protesters, with pictures showing scores of police gathered outside a university. | Meanwhile in Jayapura, clashes took place between security forces and protesters, with pictures showing scores of police gathered outside a university. |
Mr Daryanto told news agency the Associated Press that a mob of students had attacked a soldier and police officers in Jayapura with machetes and rocks. | Mr Daryanto told news agency the Associated Press that a mob of students had attacked a soldier and police officers in Jayapura with machetes and rocks. |
Security forces responded with gunfire, killing three civilians, he told AP. The soldier later died. | Security forces responded with gunfire, killing three civilians, he told AP. The soldier later died. |
Why is there violence in West Papua? | |
It was the taunting of the Papua students that triggered the violence earlier this year, but for many in the region, feelings of resentment towards Indonesia have been simmering for decades. | |
The former Dutch colony did not become part of Indonesia until 1963, after a short period under UN control. | |
A referendum on its independence was held in 1969 but only about 1,000 people were allowed to vote. | A referendum on its independence was held in 1969 but only about 1,000 people were allowed to vote. |
As a result, a low-level separatist movement, fighting for independence, continues to this day. | As a result, a low-level separatist movement, fighting for independence, continues to this day. |
The Indonesian military, meanwhile, is accused of gross human rights abuses in their attempt to suppress any form of dissent in the province. | The Indonesian military, meanwhile, is accused of gross human rights abuses in their attempt to suppress any form of dissent in the province. |
Analysis | |
By Jonathan Head, BBC South East Asia correspondent | |
When the 32-year rule of President Suharto came crashing down in Indonesia 21 years ago, there were real fears the country would break up - an Asian Yugoslavia. | |
Aside from the former Portuguese territory of East Timor, that did not happen, thanks in part to a new democracy, decentralisation and, in some regions, autonomy. | |
But the eastern region of Papua remains troubled, and much of its indigenous population unreconciled to Indonesian rule. | |
"Indonesia is either the former Dutch East Indies or it is nothing," I was told by one government adviser in the perilous days following Suharto's fall. But Papua is a special case. | |
It was not incorporated into Indonesia in the decolonisation agreement with the Netherlands in 1949. It was handed over only in 1963, to be approved by a referendum in 1969, the so-called "Act of Free Choice", widely accepted now as an Indonesian-manipulated sham. | |
Remote, undeveloped and largely ignored by the world, Papua's rich resources were crudely exploited by Indonesia, a pro-independence movement was harshly suppressed, and waves of migrants encouraged to move there from other islands. | |
Papua has enjoyed a form of autonomy since 2001, with other attempts made by successive Indonesian governments to assuage local resentment. But hostility to Indonesian rule runs deep. | |
Where is West Papua? | |
Papua is divided into two provinces, Papua and West Papua - the two regions are collectively referred to as West Papua. | |
Together, they make up the western half of the island of New Guinea. The eastern half of the island is comprised of the independent state of Papua New Guinea. |