Protest against alcohol in Timika

TIMIKA, Irian Jaya: More than 1,000 mothers and children on Friday protested in Indonesia's easternmost province of Irian Jaya against the use of alcohol, residents said.

"The women along with their children demanded the government ban the licensing of alcohol," Johannes Djonga, a spokesman of the Tiga Raja Catholic Church, told AFP from the town of Timika.

"They felt they have suffered abuse and assaults from their husbands and sons who fell victim to alcohol. Some of them had sons or husbands who were killed in fights when they were drunk."

The protesters marched on foot through the streets of Timika, near the huge gold and copper mines of U.S. giant Freeport McMoRan, collecting crates of beer and bottles of whisky along the way from shops or restaurants selling them.

"Alcohol makes the young generation stupid. Alcohol ruins families and the future," the demonstrators chanted.

They later went to the local government office and held talks with the regent, the district police chief and the district military chief.

"Regent Titus Potereyau promised the protesters he will soon revoke licenses for the free sale of alcohol," Djonga said.

He added Potereyau later joined the women and children, who came from at least nine tribal groups, in smashing the bottles of beer and whisky.

"The demonstrators also demanded authorities probe police and military officers who were involved in the trading and selling of alcohol," Djonga said, adding the wives of police and military officers had joined the protest.

Another resident said men also joined the protest but stayed at the back of the procession. No violence was reported.