The injustice of arrests of Papuans in July, purportedly for attacks on Freeport personnel, was underscored since then
by a continuation of those attacks. Despite police arrest of seven Papuans in July, two more Freeport personnel and one
solider were wounded in attacks in October as they travelled on the road connecting Timika and the mine site at
Tembagapura. Such attacks have continued every few weeks since the July arrests.
Media reports noted that two miners were wounded October 20 when three security-escorted buses were ambushed between
mile 41 and mile 42 of a road leading to the Grasberg mine, the world's largest gold and copper mine. In addition a
soldier was wounded when a joint patrol unit was ambushed by gunmen in Kali Kopi on the Timika-Tembagapura road on
October 21.
As pointed out in an article in an October 23 Bintang Papua, the shooting incidents have taken place within a relatively
small area in which as many as 1,320 Indonesian security personnel have been deployed. Moreover, the TNI and police have
established joint command posts along the Timika-Tembagapura road on which the attacks are taking place.
Anastasia Tegeke, a member of Commission A of the DPRP-Mimika, noted that the authorities had arrested dozens of local
Papuans in July, purportedly because of their involvement in the shootings. The incidents have nonetheless continued.
Drawing attention to the failure of the beefed-up security forces to stop the incidents, Tegeke added: "many thousands
of personnel were now operating in the area, using much of the money that has been allocated to development in the
region." His comment added to speculation that the chronic security problem served to provide extra income to the extra
Indonesian security forces deployed to the region.
Meanwhile, local Papuan resistance leader Kelly Kwalik in a meeting with State security officials categorically denied
that Papuan pro-independence fighters were behind the attacks. His denial of responsibility has been supported by police
officials who have countered initial claims by military officials that the attacks were the work of the pro-independence
fighters.
Also during the third week of October there was growing popular anger at Freeport as families of Papuan workers at
Freeport demonstrated to demand better security for workers. They marched to the Regional Legislative Council office in
Mimika and staged a rally. Although the police declared the demonstration illegal, they refrained from making arrests
when the Council agreed to meet with the demonstrators. Some workers reportedly have decided to strike Freeport
operations pending provision of adequate security.
ENDS