TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Papua Provincial Government condemned the murder of dozens of Istaka Karya workers by a group of armed men in Yall District, Nduga Regency, on Sunday, December 2, 2018.

The Papua Provincial Secretariat's deputy Doren Wakerkwa, said in Jayapura on Tuesday that the incident was a serious human rights violation, and was a security threat for Papuans.

"If you want war, do not attack civilians. That it is a human rights violation," he said.

According to Doren, the killing of workers who were building the TransPapua road bridge in Kali Yigi and Aurak was execrable.

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"We hope that the District Government of Nduga and the local community will provide as many information and access to help the authorities arrest the murders and evacuate the victims," he said.

Doren is also concerned that incident will affect security in Papua, which — if allowed to continue — would disrupt the development process in the province.

Antara wrote that Rev. Wilhelmus Kogoya from Yigi District has reported the massacre at Yigi River and Aurak River that killed 24 workers of Istaka Karya.

From his report, it was revealed that two workers fled and survived, and are now safe in the Mbua District.

Meanwhile, eight others in the Yall District were rescued by family member of Alimi Gwijangge, who served as Deputy Chairperson of the Nduga Regency DPRD. They are safe and have been taken to the Koroptak District, Papua.

Antara