TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police dispatched four units of company-level Brimob (SSK) personnel, or around 400 officers, to Jayapura City, Papua Province, after a riot broke out yesterday, August 29.

"Four SSKs from the Mobile Brigade Corps were sent to Jayapura," The National Police Headquarters' Public Information Bureau head, Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo, toldTempo on Friday, 30 August.

He said the Brimob personnel are from the East Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan Regional Police.

Riots broke in Jayapura yesterday. The Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) office on Abepura Road was set on fire by a mob. The Telkom office on Jalan Koti was also burned.

The masses also set other public service facilities on fire, such as the post office and gas stations. Thousands of people then threw rocks at several office buildings and hotels in Jayapura.

Dedi said that according to the Regional Police, the situation in Jayapura is starting to calm down. Demonstrators in front of the Papua Governor's Office have disbanded since last night.

"The masses have returned to their homes, taken by TNI-Polri vehicles," said Dedi

Demonstrations have spread to almost all districts in the eastern region of Indonesia over the past two weeks. They rally to condemn the racism against Papuan students in Surabaya.

ANDITA RAHMA