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Rights body pushes for Wamena incident investigation
The riots on Thursday started after locals, angered by rumors, started throwing rocks at Wamena Police station, which was holding under custody two persons accused of abducting a six-year-old.
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he National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has urged law enforcement authorities to investigate last week's deadly riots in Wamena, Papua, triggered by rumors that a child had been abducted.
"We are encouraging law enforcement agencies to take steps towards uncovering what happened during the incident," Komnas HAM chairperson Atnike Nova Sigiro said in a statement on Friday, calling on authorities to assist families of victims and survivors in recovering from the traumatic event.
The commission has also urged everyone to refrain from violence and instead use a pro-human-rights approach when responding to the incident in Papua, enlisting the help of community and religious leaders there to cool down tensions.
Komnas HAM, she added, would be communicating with the local administration, the police and the military, as well as with community leaders, churches and civil organizations in Papua to monitor the situation.
The Papua Police said on Friday that the turmoil in Wamena has de-escalated, with the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) having taken joint steps to create a conducive situation and communicate with local community leaders.
The riots on Thursday started after locals, angered by rumors, started throwing rocks at Wamena Police station, which was holding under custody two persons accused of abducting a six-year-old. Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Mathius Fakhiri said the police tried to mediate but that failed to stem the violence and buildings were set ablaze in the area. Security forces responded by opening fire to disperse the crowds.
The police on Saturday revised the death toll in the riot to 12 civilians from 10 a day before.
At least 16 civilians were injured in the incident, while a police officer was seriously wounded by an arrow and 15 others suffered minor injuries when people threw rocks, according to the latest police data on Saturday.
Read also: Police claim Wamena ‘conducive’ after 10 killed in riot
The police previously said the two civilians killed were local residents caught in the middle of the riots, while eight others were rioters. At least 13 residences were set on fire during the incident, according to the police.
The Papua Police chief has apologized and offered condolences for the deaths of the civilians, adding that the police would evaluate the steps taken by their personnel in the field during the incident.
As of Saturday, the Papua Police have detained 13 people who allegedly instigated the riot in Wamena, Tempo.co reported. They are still investigating their roles.
Activists have condemned the deadly incident, saying that security forces had been excessive in their use of force in handling riots or dispersing protesters in Papua. Activists have repeatedly demanded the government to stop using a security approach in Papua, which is rich in natural resources but remains one the poorest and the most underdeveloped part of the country.
In May last year, the police used water cannons and batons against protesters in Jayapura who opposed Jakarta's plan to create new provinces on the easternmost island. In March last year, two people were killed and several others injured when a protest against the same plan turned violent in Yahukimo.
Tensions have been running high in Papua of late, since separatist rebels abducted a New Zealand pilot on Feb. 7.
