The government has accused a Papuan armed group of being behind the deadly riot in Wamena, Papua, last week that led to the deaths of at least 33 people and resulted in thousands of residents fleeing the city. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said in a press conference on Monday that the armed group provoked the deadly unrest and dismissed concerns the riot was the result of an ethnic conflict between native Papuans and non-natives.

“I have ordered the coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister [Wiranto], the Indonesian Military [TNI] and the police to pursue the rioters,” Jokowi said, after sending his condolences to victims’ families.

The President called on Wamena residents to stay in the region and go on with their lives. He guaranteed their security by saying that the police had managed to capture a number of the rioters.

“The security forces have worked hard to protect all citizens,” Jokowi added.

Wiranto, at a separate press conference, said the rioters involved in the Wamena unrest were mobilized by two forces, namely the Free Papua Movement (OPM) and an international organization led by United Kingdom-based Papuan exile Benny Wenda.

“The OPM and Benny Wenda tried to build up the riots and expose them to the world. It was a conspiracy to separate Papua and West Papua [from Indonesia],” the minister said. The unrest happened shortly before the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) held at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, last week and Wiranto claimed that it was not a coincidence.

The government claimed previously the turmoil was intentionally created by separatist groups with the intention of it being brought up at the UNGA. “[Fortunately,] no country has given special attention to the attempt [to separate Papua and West Papua from Indonesia], which is against UNGA Resolution No. 2504 of 1969,” Wiranto said.

Wamena saw violent unrest erupt on Sept. 23, when a mob, reportedly of native Papuans, set buildings on fire, destroyed vehicles and attacked people with weapons. At least 33 people were killed in the incident — most of whom were people of non-Papuan descent. Authorities said the victims had died of stab wounds or burns.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) described the events in Wamena as “a tragedy of humanity” that affected all Indonesian citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or religion.

“In this kind of situation, we are all grieving,” said Komnas HAM chairman Ahmad Taufan Damanik. He also dismissed claims that what happened in Wamena was a war against certain ethnic groups coming from outside Papua, saying the incident stemmed from “something complex that had been in Papua for an extensive period of time”.

More than 7,000 Wamena residents took shelter including at the police and TNI headquarters, while another 2,670 people fled the city with the help of the Air Force. Roughly 10,000 residents have reportedly signed up to be airlifted to the provincial capital of Jayapura as well as to other provinces.

Jayawijaya Regent Jhon Richard Banua said 7,278 residents had been displaced and that schools had not reopened.

The chairman of a South Sulawesi community association in Wamena, Rudi Hartono, said the majority of the evacuees were afraid to return home amid fears of further violence. “We need security guarantees,” he said, adding that many people staying at the shelters had lost their homes in the riot.

“Wamena is like a dead city with almost no one brave enough to continue with their normal activities.”

— Victor Mambor contributed to this story from Jayapura

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