Two Papuans arrested for burning flags

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Police said here on Tuesday they had arrested two people and were chasing another suspected of burning Indonesia's red-and-white flag on Independence Day, Aug. 17.

Spokesman for Jayapura Police Adj. Comr. Yosef Iswanto said the two suspects, identified only as Y.D. and F.W., were arrested after they removed the flag from its pole outside the local office of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) in Padangbulan, Abepura district, and set it alight at around 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Iswanto said the police were investigating the case.

Witnesses revealed the three perpetrators were believed to be PDI Perjuangan supporters who failed to become civil servants despite having sat the tests several times.--Antara