Two people killed in Wamena riots
JAKARTA (JP): Two people died in a riot that erupted following the forcible removal of the Kejora (morning star) flag by police and soldiers in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Irian Jaya, on Friday morning.
Civilians Agustinus Murib, 26, and Elias Alua, 46, were shot and mobbed to death respectively in the violent encounter that injured 21 others, a doctor at the Wamena General Hospital said.
"Agustinus died probably from a close range gunshot wound (rubber bullet) to his thigh... and he was probably suffering from some other disease which led to his death.
"The other fatality, Elias, was mobbed to death by security personnel," doctor Bagindah Hutahayan said, as quoted by Antara.
The injured victims, wounded by gunshots and machetes, included two officers of the Jayawijaya police precinct and an officer of the elite police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) of the Irian Jaya Police.
"Some civilians suffered severe injuries from (rubber bullet) gunshot wounds and being mobbed by officers of Brimob and soldiers of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad)," Bagindah said.
The Papua security task force, angered by the incident, reportedly kidnapped three employees of the Jayawijaya Honay Resort Hotel, some two kilometers away from the town of Wamena, during the rioting.
Order
Irian Jaya police chief Brig. Gen. S.Y. Wenas separately said on Friday that National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro had ordered all Kejora flags of the West Papua separatist movement in Irian Jaya be pulled down within the month.
"Before this order came, the Irian Jaya Police had allowed the hoisting of one such flag in three regencies each ... but now, all have to come down," Wenas said.
He said the pulling down of the Kejora flag had received strong opposition from the Presidium of the Papua Council, led by Theys Hiyo Eluay, who claimed to have received approval from President Abdurrahman Wahid to hoist the flag.
"The Irian Jaya Police therefore gives Theys a chance to leave for Jakarta and meet with the President and the Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs, Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the matter," Wenas said.
"The police will wait for the result of that meeting, but I'm quite sure that the President will back the police chief on this, since the only flag that can be hoisted in this country is the Red and White Flag (national flag)."
Wenas said about 100 Brimob officers were being flown to Wamena on Friday to strengthen security in the area.
Special meeting
A special meeting between Jayawijaya police chief Supt. D. Suripatty, Jayawijaya Military District 1702 Commander Lt. Col. Agus. S, and city secretary Djumati was immediately held following the kidnapping of the hotel employees.
While Suripatty refused to comment on the matter, Antara reported that dozens of civilians were seen taking shelter at the military and the police posts in the area. (ylt)