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Accused of treason, dozens of Papuans arrested in Manado
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Dozens of students, who staged a rally at a dormitory for Papuan students on Jl. Kampus in Manado, North Sulawesi, were brought to North Sulawesi Police headquarters to be questioned on May 31. (JP/Lita Aruperes)
The Manado Police arrested more than 70 Papuan students who were about to stage a rally on Monday, accusing them of treason.
The police detained them as they were preparing for rallies in two locations in Manado, North Sulawesi. Some of the students were arrested in Papuan Student Dorm while others were arrested in the front yard of North Sulawesi Council. The police said they confiscated Bintang Kejora or Morning Star paraphernalia associated with Papua’s independence movement.
“Every possibility that is not in line with Indonesia’s unity [NKRI] will be processed,” Manado Police chief Sr. Comr. Hisar Siallagan said Monday.
Read also: Activists stage peaceful rally, ask UN to monitor situation in Papua
He claimed the condition in Papua was peaceful and there was no demand for an independence referendum. He said the government even gave special attention to Papua’s development acceleration even though it cost a lot of money. “I don’t see any urgency [for the rallies],” he said.
In 2016, Papuan students in Manado had attempted to stage three rallies. Each one was dispersed by the police.
According to data made available to The Jakarta Post by Veronica Koman, the lawyer of Papuan self-determination activist Filep Karma, the rallies on Dec. 19 were held in Jayapura, Merauke, Nabire, Yogyakarta, Manado, Wamena, Jakarta, Sorong, Manokwari, Timika, Yahukimo, Bandung, Ternate and Ambon.
The lawyer said a total of 528 people were arrested Monday, with Wamena recording the highest number of people arrested (165 people, 15 were released).
In Jayapura, the arrest involved beatings, Veronica said, and seven people were badly injured. (evi)
