T

he Papua Police reportedly arrested six suspects in a recent clash between demonstrators and police in Aimas district, Sorong regency, West Papua, on May 1, in which two people were killed and five others injured.

The six men '€” identified with by initials AS, HS, KK, OK, YM and OK '€” have been charged with violating articles 106, 107 and 110 of the Criminal Code on subversion.

 '€œThey were arrested and named as suspects as they are believed to be instigators of a radical group who had voiced anti-government sentiment,'€ said Papua Police chief spokesman Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta Jaya in Jayapura on Tuesday.

The radical group, led by Isak Kalaibit, remains anonymous as of now. '€œThe moment the incident broke out, Isak fled and his whereabouts remain unknown,'€ said Sumerta.

When joint personnel from the Sorong Police and local Indonesian Military (TNI) command in Aimas were quelling the riot, two people were killed while another victim Salomina Kalabin, 42, died at the Sele Be Solu Hospital in Sorong. According to Gede, the projectile extricated from Salomina'€™s body was from an organic firearm owned either by the National Police or the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Separately in Medan, North Sumatra, National Police chief spokesman Insp. Gen. Suhardi Alius said the National Police would continue to monitor the situation in Papua, adding that the police were currently on full alert following a report that a Free Papua Movement (OPM) member was shot and injured on Monday evening.

Suhardi expressed concern over the rumors of the death of an OPM member, which could spark tension again in Papua.

He emphasized the National Police would make further efforts to maintain security in Papua by involving community figures. According to him, the response so far from the community figures in Papua is very good.