Fleeing from Papua's Wamena; Thousands Queue to Board Aircraft

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thousands of Wamena residents queued at the Wamena Air Force Base, waiting to be flown away from Jayawijaya Regency, Papua, on Tuesday, October 1. The refugees were waiting to board Hercules aircraft to flee to other cities such as Jayapura and Timika.

"On Tuesday, October 1, the TNI flew 1,826 refugees outside Wamena," Wamena Air Force Detachment Commander Maj. Aviator Arief Sudjatmiko, said yesterday, Oct. 1.

Since the riot broke, the TNI Air Force has flown 6,472 refugees outside the town.

A riot broke in Jayawijaya's capital on September 23 when a group of people suddenly attacked residents and set fire to their' houses and offices. At the time, there were rumors that school students were upset because a teacher supposedly made a racist remark.

The riot killed 33 people and injured 79. Around 150 houses, office buildings and stores were set on fire; including the Jayawijaya Regent's Office and a number of government buildings as well as more than a hundred vehicles. 

The Jayawijaya Regency Government recorded that there were 7,278 residents who were traumatized by the riots. They are currently sheltering in refugee camps in more than 59 locations.

Obed, who originally came to Wamena from Bone, Sulawesi Selatan, said he wants to evacuate to Timika. Obed had been living in Wamena for a year working odd jobs here and there.

"I witnessed the riots and I feel traumatized," Obed told Tempo as he queued to board the plane.

Meanwhile, Wamena Military Commander Col. Inf. Yonathan Sianipar hopes that refugees will not leave the town. Yonathan said that it is exactly what the rioters' group wants—for residents to leave the Papua's town.

He said that if everyone leaves Wamena there would be no one left to rebuild the city. Recovery efforts cannot be done by the military and the police alone.

WAYAN AGUS PURNOMO | ESTER ARLIN K.