Indonesian military in sweep operation through West Papuan Highlands communties
Posted at 07:01 on 19 May, 2010 UTC
The Indonesia military is reportedly waging a campaign of fear throughout the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua in Indonesia over a looming deadline.
An Australia-based NGO says the military is conducting a sweep operation, and has given the civilian population until June 28th to hand over weapons.
The Australian West Papua Association claims military excursions over recent days have triggered clashes with OPM Free West Papua Movement groups and left one Papuan dead.
The Association’s Joe Collins says the military is going from village to village, imposing curfews, asking for ID and threatening communities, often beating them.
He says the military is going from village to village, imposing curfews, asking for ID and threatening communities, often beating them.
“What happens in West Papua, it’s not like in some dictatorships where they (victims) are hidden away and tortured in a back room somewhere. In West Papua, it’s actually done quite openly in village streets where everybody can see. And the whole point is to instill fear in the people so they know what can happen to them.”
Joe Collins says Indonesia’s military appears to be manoeuvring for a major operation in the Papua region.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand
ndonesian military in sweep operation through West Papuan Highlands communties
