One dead in Irian Jaya unrest

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): One person was killed and two other civilians were injured when a clash erupted in Merauke after police tried to disperse demonstrators rejecting the government's offer of wide-ranging autonomy, activists said on Wednesday.

The Institute of Human Rights Studies and Advocacy (IHRSTAD) identified the dead person as 18-year-old Paskalis Betayob.

One of the institute's executives, Aloysius Renwarin, said the high school student died of gunshot wounds in the back and chest.

Irian Jaya Police chief Brig. Gen. Silvianus Yulius Wenas confirmed that a clash had occurred, but would not confirm the death.

He said two civilians were injured when police fired rubber bullets to control the crowd. Eight policemen also suffered wounds after being struck by arrows and stones.

"I'm still waiting for further reports from Merauke Police," he said.

He conceded that those injured were wounded by rubber bullets, but stressed that protesters had become uncontrollable and had vandalized government buildings and ignored police warnings to disperse.

According to Wenas, the demonstration was organized after rumors that Merauke acting regent M.R. Kambu was flying to Jakarta to meet government officials to sign an agreement on autonomy.

A crowd of over 400 people then staged a protest at Mopah Airport to prevent Kambu leaving for Jakarta, but Kambu was nowhere to be seen.

The protesters then went to state RRI radio station and began vandalizing the building.

"Police opened fire with rubber bullets when the crowd started to pelt stones at the building and attack our officers with arrows and slingshots," Wenas said.

The crowd then reportedly attacked the regent's office and later targeted the local police headquarters.

Four police cars and a police health clinic in the headquarters compound were damaged.

"We will investigate this incident and summon the leader of this protest," he said.

IHRSTAD, however, claimed that the protest was sparked by an RRI interview with regent candidate John Gubla Gebze on Tuesday. During the interview Gebze said that if elected he would support autonomy. (eba/emf)