TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Activist of human rights in Papua, Theo Hesegem, revealed that a clash broke out in Sinakma of Papua on Thursday afternoon, February 23, between the people and the Indonesian Miltary or TNI-National Police (Polri), killing nine civilians.

“I have just returned from ER and mortuary, visiting injured and dead victims,” said Theo to Tempo on Thursday.

At least nine people died; seven of them were Papuans and the rest were non-Papuans. Additionally, 17 victims suffered injuries. Theo said all victims received treatment in Wamena General Hospital.

Previous reports suggested that the clash which occurred in Sapalek Village, Jalan Trains Irian, in Wamena City, Jayawijaya Regency stemmed from issues of child kidnapping, which were still unclear to date.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo confirmed that the friction emerged at around 12:30 eastern Indonesian time (WIT). Benny explained that Jayawijaya Resort Police Chief Sr. Comr. Hesman S. Napitupulu along with the personnel visited the site to break up the commotion but was resisted by the people.

“We were informed that a car heading to Yomaima Village was blocked by people in Sinakma Village because the driver was allegedly a child kidnapper, so this issue triggered an uproar among the community,” said Benny in an official statement, Thursday.

The child kidnapping issue then continued to be the attack against police personnel who were trying to calm the people over baseless rumors. The people threw stones at the police personnel who were then fired a warning shot. The effort, however, was shunned. “The masses burned down several shophouse buildings,” he said.

RIANI SANUSI PUTRI | EKA YUDHA SAPUTRA

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