Govt Urged to Probe into Freeport Incident

Aksi demonstrasi berdarah PT Freeport
Sumber :
  • REUTERS/ Muhammad Yamin

VIVAnews - The Indonesian authorities must immediately investigate the use of deadly force by police at a mining protest, Amnesty International said today after one protester was killed and at least six injured.

Around 8,000 mining workers have been on strike as of September 15, following salary raise demand.

“This latest incident shows that Indonesian police have not learned how to deal with protesters without resorting to excessive, and even lethal, force,” said Director of Amnesty International of Asia-Pacific region, Sam Zarifi, today.

Sam blamed police officers for lacking control over the protesters and were triggered to reacted against them using weapons.

Mine worker Petrus Ayemseba was shot in the buttocks and died a few hours later. Six other workers – Leo Wandagau, Alius Komba, Melkias Rumbiak, Yunus Nguluduan, Philiton Kogoya and Ahmad Mustofa were also injured from the shooting.

Freeport has accused the strikers of trying to intimidate replacement workers whom the company was trying to move into the mine workers’ barracks.

After the police opened fire, mine workers set fire to two container trucks heading to the mining town and pelted the police with rocks.

“It is high time the Indonesian police trained and equipped their staff in non-violent methods of crowd control. They also need to ensure that they have non-lethal means of force at their disposal to disperse the protesters if necessary,” he said.

Moreover, two journalists of Cahaya Papua and Radar Timika dailies were beaten by the protesters. Their DSLR cameras, cellular phones and motorbikes were stolen. "They hit from the back, grabbed my camera and carried off my motorbike," said Duma Tato Sanda, Cahaya Papua journalist.

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Coverage by: Banjir Ambarita | Jayapura

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26 April 2024