By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

JAYAPURA, Papua – A human rights group is speaking out after Indonesian police beat and shot at a crowd of demonstrators earlier this week.

Papuan demonstrators held an overnight vigil outside a local elections office in Nabire to protest the government’s delay in holding elections that had been scheduled for last October.

Paula Makabori, a representative from the human right’s group ELSHAM, says the demonstrators were threatening to boycott this year’s legislative and presidential elections if the government did not explain the delay.

Makabori also claims that police attacked the protestors in their sleep.

“And this brutal attack and gunshots against the people resulted in some people suffering of bruises and open wounds, and five people suffering from serious bullet wounds. So the victims have been hiding because they think that the police will go there and then take them out,” Makabori said.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, police shot into a crowd of nearly 300 angry protestors in Timika, seriously injuring four. The hostility began as a demonstration against police brutality and, specifically, the death of one Timika resident, Simor Fader, who was shot by police.

Local police commander, Jasim Hoda, says “a number” of protestors will be questioned in this matter.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Protestors in Papua say police beat them – 30 January 2009

Jakarta Globe – 4 Wounded as Officers Open Fire on Antipolice Protesters in Papua – 28 January 2009

AFP – Indonesian police open fire on Papuan protesters: witnesses – 27 Janurary 2009

Reuters – Police fire on crowd in Indonesia’s Papua, 3 hurt – 27 January 2009