Papua Press Agency

Ada empat cerita yang menjadi pemicu bagi penulis menghabiskan waktu, tenaga dan dana menulis buku ini, yang paling tidak juga mengusik sidang pembaca sekalian dalam mewacanakan nasionalisme yang sedang berkembang di Tanah Papua. Keempat cerita ini tampil di hadapan penulis sebagai masalah yang membayangi atau mengganggu dalam mewacanakan, memahami dan melihat dengan jelas wajah nasionalisme Papua.
Empat Cerita Pemicu
Cerita pertama berasal dari penulisan buku Edisi VIII (Seri VIIIa – VIIId) yang mengulas Demokrasi Kesukuan[] sebagai sebuah gagasan untuk sistem kepemerintahan Masyarakat Adat, terutama Masyarakat Adat di Papua Barat. Pada suatu hari saya tiba pada kesimpulan ketika menulis buku Edisi VIIIb yang mengungkap demokrasi dalam kacamata Masyarakat Adat. Kelihatannya perlu ada tulisan terpisah yang memetakan kembali ‘isme-isme’ politik mulai dari liberalisme sampai anarkisme dalam kacamata Masyarakat Adat karena ‘isme-isme’ adalah fenomena masyarakat modern yang belum dijangkau oleh konteks pemikiran, pemahaman dan realitas kehidupan Masyarakat Adat di Papua Barat. Saya putuskan untuk menulis buku Seri IX berisi hampir semua ‘isme-isme’ politik modern.[]
Di tengah jalan penulisan buku Seri/ Edisi IX ini saya dihentikan lagi, tepat pada saat saya tiba pada Bab tentang ‘nasionalisme’ sebagai salah satu dari ideologi politik modern. Saya berusaha memetakan nasionalisme dalam konteks ‘isme-isme’ lainnya, tetapi mengalami kesulitan karena dua alasan: yang pertama nasionalisme tidak menolak ataupun mendukung semua ‘isme’ politik yang ada selama ini. Pada saat yang sama, ia tidak sama dengan ideologi politik lain yang memfokuskan diri kepada beberapa isu (aspek) kehidupan. Saya dapati bahwa ternyata nasionalisme mencakup hampir segenap aspek kehidupan manusia.
Saya lanjutkan pelacakan mengapa begitu? Dan ternyata nasionalisme itu sangat universal, karena ia menjiwai dan dijiwai oleh segenap bangsa di dunia, serta mencakup berbagai aspek kehidupan. Tetapi pada saat yang sama pula ia sangat partikuler, karena masing-masing bangsa memiliki kekhasan konsepsi dan struktur dari nasionalisme mereka yang sangat unik dan beragam, walaupun ekspresi dan tujuan serta apa yang mereka tentang dan cita-citakan hampir sama.
Meingingat bangsa Papua sendiri sangat berkepentingan dengan nasionalisme, maka saya hentikan penulisan Buku Seri IX dan memulai penulisan buku ini sebagai Seri X dengan judul: Sukuisme: Nasionalisme Masyarakat Adat Papua, yaitu ulasan teoritis nasionalisme Papua sebagaimana adanya.
***

Cerita kedua dari pengalaman suatu hari saya menghadiri sebuah rapat internal, diundang mewakili Demmak (Dewan Musyawarah Masyarakat Koteka). Pada pertemuan itu digariskan beberapa kebijakan sebagai tuntunan bagi perjuangan aspirasi bangsa Papua. Yang menarik bagi saya dalam diskusi itu adalah penegasan salah-satu peserta rapat itu, “Nasionalisme yang sedang kita perjuangkan hanya menyangkut bangsa Papua, jadi tidak ada nasionalisme Koteka atau sukuisme di sini!”
Saya ajukan pertanyaan kepadanya, “Coba jelaskan apa wajah nasionalisme Papua tanpa Koteka?” Ia lalu tegaskan,
Pokoknya saya mau kita semua bersatu dalam satu payung, satu organisasi, di bawah satu pemimpin, dalam satu garis kebijakan. Jangan bermimpi menciptakan identitas macam-macam! Itu merusak nasionalisme.
Saya membalasnya:
Maaf, setahu saya justru Anda yang sedang bermimpi siang bolong, karena yang ada sekarang dan yang sudah ada sejak moyang orang Papua serta yang akan ada selamanya di Papua Barat adalah identitas Koteka dan identitas asli dan adat lainnya yang melekat dengan jatidiri orang Papua. Anda tak bisa bermimpi siang-bolong untuk menghapuskan identitas asli yang ada pada saat ini atas nama siapapun atau apapun, sekaligus mengatas-namakan nasionalisme Papua. Karena dengan demikian, Anda menjadi bagian dari musuh bangsa Papua yang sedang ditentang. Identitas adalah alasan inti perjuangan kita, yang kita bela dan hendak lestarikan, bukan sebaliknya. Kalau perjuangan ini hendak menghapuskan identitas orang Papua, termasuk identitas Koteka, maka kita jangan menyebutnya nasionalis Papua!
Teman tadi terus bersikukuh bahwa pada prinsipnya nasionalisme Papua haruslah menunjukkan keseragaman, ia tak percaya nasionalisme Papua pernah ada sebelum ada keseragaman. Rapat dimaksud berakhir tanpa hasil apa-apa lantaran perbedaan pendapat yang begitu tajam. Tetapi ia telah membantu memberikan bahan penting dalam perjuangan aspirasi bangsa Papua.
***

Cerita ketiga berasal dari wacana nasionalisme yang berkembang di tanah air: yaitu dua kubu yang memperjuangkan dua versi nasionalisme
(1) nasionalisme Papindo; dan
(2) nasionalisme Papua Merdeka
untuk satu entitas identitas bangsa yang bernama ‘Papua’. Kelihatannya kedua tujuan ini bertolak-belakang. Tetapi berdasarkan teori normativ sebenarnya keduanya sama karena mereka membela entitas identitas Papua agar diakui, dihargai dan dilindungi sehingga tidak punah dari muka bumi serta agar entitas identitas dimaksud dimajukan atau dikembangkan dalam berbagai aspek kehidupan.
Yang berbeda hanyalah bentuk dan atau format yang dipilih dan dianggap dapat diterima dan diupayakan untuk mencapai tujuan melindungi dan memajukan entitas identitas Papua dari kepunahan: yang satu memilih jalan pragmatis dan moderat (Otsus di dalam NKRI), yang lainnya memilih jalan idealis dan radikal (Papua Merdeka).
***

Cerita pemicu keempat diciptakan oleh fenomena pemekaran wilayah provinsi. Di tengah berbagai persoalan di atas, kita diperhadapkan lagi dengan pemekaran provinsi Papua menjadi Provinsi Papua dan Provinsi Papua Barat. Dalam konteks perkembangan politik NKRI, kita diperhadapkan dengan pertanyaan:
· Apakah nasionalisme Papua itu berlaku berdasarkan sebuah entitas wilayah administrasi NKRI, ataukah didasarkan entitas identitas ‘bangsa’?
· Nasionalisme Papua artinya nasionalisme dari orang Papua yang ada di Provinsi Papua ataukah nasionalisme bagi suku-suku yang ada di Pulau New Guinea bagian Barat, yang kini berada dalam Provinsi Papua dan Provinsi Papua Barat?
Pemekaran provinsi jelas menciptakan wacana nasionalisme Papua mengalami kebingungan, karena kita terpengaruh oleh nama wilayah administrasi Provinsi Papua dan Provinsi Papua Barat.
Empat Pertanyaan yang Mengusik
Empat cerita ini sangat menggangu benak saya. Saya sangat tertarik melacak nasionalisme dalam konteks nasionalisme yang berkembang di Tanah Papua, tetapi tertantang oleh keempat cerita di atas yang merupakan fenomena yang berkembang belakangan di Papua Barat belakangan ini. Saya lalu membatalkan dua seri buku sebelumnya dan memutuskan menulis buku ini.
Dalam melacak wajah nasionalisme Papua itu, didapati paling tidak ada empat pertanyaan pokok terkait dengan empat cerita di atas yang mengusik hati saya saat memikirkan untuk menulis buku ini:
§ Apa artinya nasionalisme Papua? Apakah itu berarti keseragaman atau kesamaan secara etnik, budaya, agama, dan secara organisasi (pimpinan, struktur organisasi dan program), ataukah kesamaan alasan dan tujuan perjuangan?;
§ Apa arti “nasional” dalam “-isme” ini sehingga walaupun saya memandangnya kesamaan secara ideologis, ada juga yang melihatnya secara fisik dan organisatoris?;
§ Apakah nasionalisme Papua hanya mencakup ‘bangsa Papua’ ataukah ia mencakup orang dari bangsa lain yang ada di Tanah Papua yang mendukung nasionalisme Papua juga?;
§ Kalau buku ini menyebut ‘nasionalisme’ Papua berarti apakah ia hanya mencakup nasionalisme dari orang Papua yang ada di Provinsi Papua, ataukah juga mencakup orang Papua yang ada di Provinsi Papua Barat?

Popularity: 2% [?]

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The government still thinks it is necessary to ban books considered dangerous to the nation’s unity. Certain books could form the wrong collective conscious and trigger a separatist time bomb.

“We do not want to see Indonesia separated,” said the Head of Research and Development of the Justice and Human Rights Department Hafid Abbas in his office yesterday.

He deemed that separatists know the hardship of armed resistance so they chose to do their campaign through publications.

Before forbidding its distribution, the government will produce a comparable publication.

Separatist issues dominate 20 books evaluated by the Research Body.

Among the books to be banned are The Indigenous World 2009 published by the International Working Group for Indigenous Affairs, edited by Kathrin Wissendrof.

The book was launched at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, USA, in May 2009.

The second book, published by the Watch Papua and the Galang Press, Hak Asasi Masyarakat Adat: UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, was authored by Sem Karoba. Sem translated United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous People.

The third book, published by the Galang Press, Jeritan Bangsa: Rakyat Papua Barat Mencari Keadilan (A Nation’s Plea: West Papua People Looking for Justice), authored by Sendius Wonda. The book is considered to be a potential trigger for separatist acts.

The Head of the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation Patra M. Zein said that the Justice and Human Rights Department was still unable to pick its priorities.

“This shows that the Justice and Human Rights Department cannot sort its priorities yet,” he said in his office yesterday.

Rather than banning books, the Department could prioritize other programs.
BUNGA MANGGIASIH | Titis Setianingtyas
Wednesday, 06 January, 2010 | 16:51 WIB

Popularity: 2% [?]

Sang Bintang Kejora

It is important for the Papuan peoples wherever you are to understand, that as a civilised nation, we ought to identify ourselves among other names or organisations set up by the colonial power, we need to know exactly that OPM (Organisasi Papua Merdeka) is not a military organisation that carries out guerrila warfare against colonial NKRI (Negara Kesatuan Republik Indoneisa – Unitary Republic of Indonesia). It does not at all.

Therefore, all name or stereotyping by the NKRI during more than 40 years so far, that OPM is an armed organisation and that armed resistance in West Papua carried out by OPM is a systematic and deliberate public lie, orchestrated to paint a wrong image of the OPM. Such action by the Indonesian government has caused problems for the OPM to actively and freely involved in various political campaigns and lobby activities around the world.

Papuan peoples have one armed wing organisation that until November 2006 was called TPN (Tentara Pembebasan Nasional – National Liberation Army) which was then changed into TRWP (Tentara Revolusi West Papua – West Papua Revolutionary Army). TRWP as one and only task, to fight against the Indonesian occupation across the country of West Papua. Since the last 10 years, TRWP has been active in preparing itself to become a professional military organisation with more organised personnel and troops. TRWP actions will no longer be sporadic and unorganised/ uncoordinated as before. More importantly, TRWP is not a terrorist organisation, as it does not carry out military campaign sporadically, nor target public facilities and ordinary peoples.

In fact most of civilian killings in West Papua so far have been carried out by the Indonesian military and police forces.

OPM or Free Papua Organisation is not an armed organisation. All Papuans need to be aware that OPM is not a military organisation.

Besides, the joining of the name TPN with OPM becomes TPN/OPM has been deliberately designed by the colonial NKRI in order to narrow and limit the movement of the OPM itself and finally to band OPM as a terrorist organisation, which never been sucessfull due to OPM and TRWP today have chosen a peaceful way to resolve the conflict.

In November 2006, in the First TPN/OPM Congress in the Jungles of West Papua, TPN/OPM issued some very important resolutions, among others:

1. That the name TPN (Tentara Pembabasan Nasional) has now become TRWP (Tentara Revolusi West Papua);
2. That Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM), both organisationally and structurally is separated from the armed wing, TRWP so that OPM can carry out its political and diplomatic activities without intervention from TRWP or conversely TRWP can fully in control of commands inside the Jungles of West Papua, without intervention from politicians abroad;
3. That all military and political campaigns should from now on, be carried out openly and under a clear guidance and order from the Commander in Chief, and in full coordination with the OPM personnel that will be appointed afterwards.

Papuan peoples should not be dragged into the game of the NKRI, because Indonesia is still playing their old songs. Right now TRPB and OPM are building a new foundation, a foundation that is rooted into the peoples/tribes in West Papua, that is strong and that will bring our nation into its freedom. It is not like New Papua as proudly promoted by the Indonesian provincial puppet-governor Barnabas Suebu, the Ifale Tribal Chief.

New Papua and Free West Papua are two different names with different goals and purposes. New Papua is a peacful, democratic Papua, a Papua without conflict and rebellion against the Indonesian occupation, no OPM, and no TRWP.

Organisasi Papua Merdeka is the mother organisation of all organisations ever been set up and campaigning for West Papua independence, be it Papua Presidium Council, be it Koteka Tribal Assembly, be it West Papua National Coallition for Liberation. All these are the children of OPM.

Right now, the mother-organisation is preparing its steps to introduce its new face, personel and structural organisation. Therefore, from the Central Headquarters of the TRWP, we invite all of you, both supporters of Indonesia/ autonomy or those who support independent West Papua, either inside or outside our country, all should be informed earlier now, that OPM is about to launch its Central Office with all persons responsible to organise and manage the OPM as a professional and credible organisation in this modern and civilised world.

From then on, OPM will launch political campaigns around the world, asking for political support, first of all from Melanesian brothers and sisters and then from supporters and supporting organisations around the world.

By that time, then those who have put their lives for the cause, with those who are still fighting for it, and those to come, will witness that OPM is not an organisation connected to any terrorist organisation whatsoever, and it is not an NGO-type organ based abroad, campaigning for donations or human rights issues, and that it is not an organisation in-exile without any clear programmes and plans of actions, but it is a credible, well-organised, professional and accountable political organisation from and for West Papua, campaigning for a Free and Independent West Papua.

Amin.
Issues in: Central Headquarters of WPRA
On Date: 25 October 2008

Leut. Gen. Amunggut Tabi,
Secretary-General

Popularity: 82% [?]

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) continues to receive reports of violence being wrought by soldiers and police against civilians in remote West Papuan villages. In the latest case a joint operation responded to an illegal flag raising by the banned Free Papua Movement with indiscriminate violence against civilians. Soldiers have reportedly burned 30 houses, killed livestock and shot threateningly around local residents, many of whom took refuge in the forest for a few weeks out of fear. In another case a man was shot in the stomach and died before reaching the hospital. Complaints to the local and central offices of the national human rights commission have not been taken up.

CASE DETAILS:

In July members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) reportedly raised the West Papuan flag and the United Nations (UN) flag in the yard of a house in Jugum village, which is in the Bolakme district of the Jaya Wijaya Regency. The Papuan flag is known as the Morning Star (pictured here) and is banned in Indonesia due to its association with pro-Independence resistance groups (see more on this below).

On 3 August local OPM members were approached by representatives of the government, religious leaders and the Jaya Wijaya district police to discuss lowering the flag, and a meeting was held with members of local human rights NGOs and the local tribal council. However no compromise was reached.

On 5 September at around 5am, armed soldiers and police officers arrived in the village from Wamena to conduct a ’sweeping operation’ (a targeted operation to intimidate, usually involving the destruction of property) against the OPM, but they found neither the members nor the flags. However according to witnesses they proceeded to set 30 houses alight (pictured above, right and here), seemingly at random, and shot four pigs. They then threatened villagers with bursts of gunfire, scaring many of them into the surrounding forest. Some of the residents remained in the forest for two weeks out of fear, and many fell sick due to the lack of food and medical treatment. The bullets were later collected by the residents as evidence.

The AHRC has recorded various violations that have occurred during these kinds of sweeps, and continues to hear of others. On 11 July 2009 in Mantembu and Yapen villages (Yapen regency) civilian houses were also reportedly burned, and one local resident was shot in the stomach. Yawan Wayeni (39) was suspected of being involved in a ceremony in which the Morning Star was raised, and he died before reaching the hospital.

Several local human right organisations have protested and submitted complaints to the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and the Papuan Branch of the Commission for Human Rights. However no thorough investigations have been conducted into any of these incidents.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Tens of thousands Papuans are reported to have died in military operations since the province was annexed by Indonesia the sixties (some sources claim up to 200,000 have been killed – around 10% of the Papuan population), and there is a widespread fear of soldiers among indigenous villagers. Papuan villages are remote and their residents enjoy little access to institutions of justice. However violations are also taking place in towns and cities. On 16 March 2006 a sweeping operation was carried out against university students in Abepura by police and the military and students from several Pegunungan Tengah regencies were evicted from their dormitory because they were suspected of being involved in an attack against a local police office. Operations were conducted in 2003 and 2005 in several districts (Tinginambut, Yamo, Mapenduma, Kywagi, Bolakme and Serui) resulting in the burning of homes and churches and the destruction of crops.

These kinds of actions lead to chronic food shortages and other hardships and have resulted in increased calls for autonomy – and independence – in this resource-rich province. Inequality remains a pressing issue. The autonomy law has been in effect since 2001 but has not resulted in an improvement of living conditions or political freedoms for Papuans. Efforts by the administration in Jakarta to better the situation tend to flounder due to the strong grip the military holds on the area’s resources, and because of corruption on the local government level.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

It is evident from the cases above that the Indonesian government is not following through with its guarantees to protect human rights in West Papua. As a member of the UN, Indonesia is committed to respecting the international human right instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR: particularly article 3, article 8, article 9) and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which it is a state party. Article 2.3 entitles everyone to effective remedy, while the AHRC would like to highlight article 6, the right to life; article 7, freedom from torture; article 15, presumption of innocence; article 16, equality before the law; and article 18, freedom of expression, freedom of religion and freedom of choice.

On a national level, the right to protection is protected by the constitution, especially in article 28 B p.2 and article 28 G p.1, and in domestic legislation such as article 29 p.1 and article 30 of law no. 39 of 1999.

Furthermore, earlier this year the Chief of the Indonesian National Police enacted the new Regulation of the Chief of Indonesian National Police Number 8 of 2009 which deals with the implementation of human rights principles and standards in the discharge of the duties of the Indonesian National Police. Indonesia also has Law number 34 of 2004 for the Indonesian National Army (TNI), particularly article 2 p.d (on TNI professionalism and respecting of democracy, civil supremacy and human rights) and article 5 (on the roles, functions and duties of the army).

Furthermore it should be noted that for a short time in 1961 and 62 the Morning Star was the national flag of West Papua, and has emotional significance for many Papuans. Under international law the expression of political opinions – in the display of a flag or any other non violent form – should not be considered a crime. The AHRC condemn the imprisonment of political activists and their continued persecution, as reported in previous appeals: UAU-004-2009, FUA-008-2009 and UAU-071-2008.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send letters to the authorities listed below to call for an immediate investigation regarding TNI and police violence during raids, urging disciplinary and legal action against those found to be involved.

The AHRC has written to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing and the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression

To support this appeal, please click here About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984

Popularity: 29% [?]

Mr Wayeni seconds before he dies in his garden Photo 5: Mr Wayeni at the moment of his death

BAGUS EKUDANTO, Commander of Police in Papua Province ordered AKBP IMAN SETYAWAN (S.Ik) Head of Police of Yapen Regency to ‘clean’ the West Papuan political movement in Yapen, including the old village of Mantembu in the valley of Mt Wayoi.

On Sunday 2 August the police kidnapped seven people from Mantembu and took them to Jayapura where they were incarcerated without charge. On Monday 3 August at 6am, Police 1 SSK (a company of indeterminate number but up to 150 personnel) entered Mr Wayeni’s house and raped his wife in front of their second child who was sick.

Mr Wayeni tried to intervene and was shot with three rounds of ammunition from a SS1 automatic gun and then bayoneted. He ran out of the house and died in the garden. The police threw his body in their car, like a dead animal, and took him to the hospital to sew up his stomach. Yawan Wayeni was forty years old. He was a political prisoner in Yapen for nine years during the Suharto administration. He leaves a wife and three children.

Source

Photo 1 Mr Yawan Wayeni running out from his house after being shot and bayoneted by Indonesian police, cradling his disemboweled intestines, looking for a place to hide in his garden
Photo 2: Mr Wayeni falls in his garden, soaked in blood, still holding his disemboweled intestines
Photo 3: Mr Wayeni standing again trying hard to save his life
Photo 4: Mr Wayeni seconds before he dies in his garden Photo 5: Mr Wayeni at the moment of his death
Photos 6 & 7: Joint Police and TNI Search and Destroy operation in Mantembu Village on 11 June 2009. When they didn’t succeed in finding FERDINAND WORABY, they took a twelve-year as hostage, then burned the activist’s house.
ENDS

Mr Wayeni standing again trying hard to save his life

Joint Police and TNI Search and Destroy operation in Mantembu Village on 11 June 2009. When they didn’t succeed in finding FERDINAND WORABY, they took a twelve-year as hostage, then burned the activist’s house.

Mr Yawan Wayeni running out from his house after being shot and bayoneted by Indonesian police, cradling his disemboweled intestines, looking for a place to hide in his garden

Popularity: 51% [?]

What’s happening in West Papua ?

There is widespread torture and abuse of political prisoners in West Papua, according to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. West Papuans are imprisoned by Indonesian security forces for taking part in peaceful demonstrations, and for raising their morning star flag.

There is a disproportionate, and increasing military presence- when Indonesian troops left East Timor and Aceh, many went to West Papua Indoensian military and police conduct’ sweeping operations throughout West Papua, in which they burn houses, beat up or kill civilians and  force hundreds of people to flee into forest.

Foreign journalists and NGOs like the Red Cross are refused access Indonesia has breached article 5 of the UN charter for Human Rights which states’ No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as well as article 9- No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

There is little freedom of expression and assembly in West  Papua,.
Peaceful gatherings are brutally dispersed by security forces and arbitrary arrests are made with subsequent lengthy jail terms.

What you can do :

Support Amnesty International campaigns for release of West Papuan
political prisoners .
e.g See

Contact your local MP/Senators and urgue them to support international  Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) launched in London in October  2008. See http: www.ipwp.org/index.html

Write to the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Istana Merdeka, Jakarta 10110, Indonesia urging him to release political prisoners in West Papua and support mediation of a political settlement between the Indonesian government and West Papua Transitional Authority. Also write to the Australian Prime minister, as a partner in the Lombok treaty, to press for mediation and an end to suppression of human rights in West Papua.

Ends
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The Forum for ‘friends of Peoples close to Nature’ is a movement of groups and individuals, concerned with the survival of Tribal peoples and their culture, in particular hunter-gatherers. These were the first and are the last societies on earth to have a non-exploitative relationship with the natural word. Our task is to help them preserve their unique cultures from enforced assimilation, alien religions, the ideologies of ‘progress’ and ‘growth’ and absorption into the global economy.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Police say a gunman fired on an Indonesian military truck near a U.S.-owned gold mine in eastern Papua province, wounding a soldier.

Chief of Papua police Maj. Gen. Bagus Ekodanto said Thursday the truck was carrying food and supplies to troops deployed near the world’s largest gold mine, operated by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc of Phoenix, Arizona.

A string of attacks near the Grasberg mine since mid-July has left three dead and injured more than 20. The mine is a source of tension in the remote, impoverished region.

Police were searching for the latest attackers, who fled into the jungle Wednesday after shooting the soldier in the leg. His condition was unclear.

The shooting came a day after two mine workers were injured by gunfire nearby.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Jakarta – An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck the eastern Indonesian province of West Papua Friday evening, panicking residents, but there were no immediate reports of injury and damage, meteorologists said.

The quake took place at a depth of 23 kilometres, located about 13 kilometres south-east of Manokwari in West Papua province. It occurred at 6:15 pm Jakarta time (1115 GMT), the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) said.

The BMG’s statement say the quake, the latest in a series of jolts to hit Indonesia in recent weeks, did not trigger a tsunami, and there were no immediate reports of injury or structural damage.

Reports from Manokwari said residents ran out of their homes in panic after the earthquake.

Indonesia sits in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a chain of fault lines and volcanoes noted for seismic activity.

On September 30, a magnitude-7.6 earthquake struck West Sumatra, killing more than 1,100 people and injuring hundreds of others.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Police say a gunman fired on an Indonesian military truck near a U.S.-owned gold mine in eastern Papua province, wounding a soldier.

Chief of Papua police Maj. Gen. Bagus Ekodanto said Thursday the truck was carrying food and supplies to troops deployed near the world’s largest gold mine, operated by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc of Phoenix, Arizona.

A string of attacks near the Grasberg mine since mid-July has left three dead and injured more than 20. The mine is a source of tension in the remote, impoverished region.

Police were searching for the latest attackers, who fled into the jungle Wednesday after shooting the soldier in the leg. His condition was unclear.

The shooting came a day after two mine workers were injured by gunfire nearby.

Popularity: 5% [?]