At least 26 people have been killed in the recent unrest in Papua.
Thousands have fled to shelters after violence broke out in the region. Buildings were set ablaze by some protesters, which saw some victims being burnt alive.
Protests have been held in Papua over the last few weeks, fueled by rumours of racism. This has further triggered clashes between separatist groups and authorities. In Wamena, 22 people are known to have died. The death toll has also increased to 26 from 20, with about 70 people injured.
“Some were burned, some were hacked to death … some were trapped in fires,” local military commander Chandra Dianto said. He also added that most victims in Wamena are not Papuans.
This is a concern, as it may lead towards an increase in violence against migrants across the country. The recent clashes have been between separatist protesters and the Indonesian security forces.
One soldier was stabbed to death by protesters. Meanwhile, three civilians have also died from rubber bullet wounds.
The protests on Monday had mostly involved high school students. The demonstrations were reportedly sparked by racist comments made by a teacher via a social media account – which was later confirmed as fake by the police.
Source: Channel News Asia
Image: Republika