Indonesian activists claim 8 killed during clashes at gold mine

[News_Editor]

Indonesian activists claim 8 killed during clashes at gold mine

2011-11-17 19:10:14 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAYAPURA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Indonesian activists on Thursday claimed that at least eight people were killed during weekend clashes in the country's eastern Papua region, where officials previously confirmed one fatality.

The clashes erupted at around 7:30 a.m. local time on Saturday morning at the Tayaga-Baya Biru gold mine in the district of Paniani, located in Bogobaida subdistrict of the Papua region.

According to Papua Police spokesman Senior Commander Wachyono, an armed group believed to be headed by Salmon Yogi, a Free Papua Organization (OPM) leader, launched an attack at the location while police tried to prevent it.

Wachyono added that, several days before the clashes, a letter had been received by Boy Rakinaung, the gold mine's owner, in which a group demanded a payment of Rp 40 million ($4,400) within 14 days. As a result, authorities were informed and security forces stood guard at the mine.

The senior commander confirmed that one person was shot dead, although the body was not identified since it was washed away as it fell into a river. However, deputy chairman of the Papua chapter of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Matius Murib said the shooting incident had left at least eight people killed.

Murib identified the victims as Matias Tenouye, 30; Simon Adii, 35; Petrus Gobai, 40; Joel Ogetai, 30; Benjamin Gobai, 25; Marius Madai, 35; Matias Anoka, 40 and Yus Pigome, 50. He said evidence existed but that the reasons behind the shooting remain unclear.

Meanwhile, Komnas HAM chairman Ifdhal Kasim said that a reduction of security personnel in the region would help ease tensions, as well as the potential for the mistreatment and abuse of locals.

Human rights officials have previously claimed that police in the region were linked to 18 cases of violence and torture, and Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) members were linked to 40. Complaints regarding human rights violations included the alleged shootings at civilians and protesters.

In late October, the government of Indonesia deployed around 300 military personnel to Papua to increase security in the region. In the previous weeks, several people had been shot dead in the region, including six people who were found dead following a gathering by pro-independence activists in the town of Abepura, which was dispersed by Indonesian security forces who fired warning shots and tear gas.

In recent months, violence has affected Papua, where the Freeport mine has been linked to regional friction as locals argue that only a small fraction of the mine's revenue goes to the workers and regional development. Furthermore, friction has also been linked to the mine's environmental impact as it is located in what used to be a small equatorial mountain glacier on the high point of Puncak Jaya, Indonesia's highest mountain.

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