Jayapura. At least 17 people were killed in a clash
between two groups of civilians in the district of Puncak Papua on
Sunday.
Sunday’s incident is the first to hit the newly
established district, which is a runaway district from Puncak Jaya. It
is also the worst incident of violence to hit the restive province of
Papua in recent years.
Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr.
Wachyono said that the brawl, which occurred at 7 a.m. in the district
capital Illaga, might have been politically motivated.
Based on initial information, Wachyono said, the clash occurred between
supporters of Elvis Tabuni, the speaker of Puncak Papua Regional
Representatives Council (DPRD), and supporters of Simon Alom, who is
leading the transitional process during the establishment of the
district.
“As a result of the brawl, 13 supporters of Elvis
Tabuni were killed while 4 people from the Simon Alom side died,”
Wachyono said.
Puncak Papua is staging its first election this
year and both Elvis and Simon are eyeing for district-head posts. The
position has been vacant since May after current district head Recky
Ambrauw was arrested by police over allegations of falsifying a
gubernatorial decree on his appointment as head of the district.
Wellem
Wandik, chief of the Puncak Jaya regional development agency, confirmed
that a riot occurred on Sunday but couldn’t provide further detail.
“I
am not in Puncak Papua but according to reports that I have received,
yes there was a brawl [in Puncak Papua]. That is all I know,” he said.
Wachyono
said that dozens of people were also badly injured and a number of
houses, buildings and vehicles were set on fire.
“The clash
started in front of the DPRD office but the fighting continued and
affected residential areas,” he said.
Wachyono added that
police has been struggling to obtain more information on the brawl due
largely because of the remoteness of the area and poor infrastructure.
The area is about one hour’s flight from the provincial capital of
Jayapura and is inaccessible by land. Charter flight operators only fly
once a week from Jayapura to Illaga.
The police officer said
that the best communication channel to the area was through satellite
phones, which only a handful of people in the area have.
“We
received the news through police’s SSB,” he said in reference to
single-side band radio. Wachyono added that police had not been able to
establish what had triggered the clash or determine the exact chronology
of the incident.