One person has been killed and three wounded in a shooting in West Papua that rights groups claim was another act of brutality by the Indonesian military at a peaceful rally.
West Papuan Photo: AFP
Tabloid Jubi reports a fundraising campaign was held late last week for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which has made a bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
The paper reports the Yahukimo District Police and a mobile brigade arrived and started tearing down the stage, confiscating banners, megaphones and cameras and used force to disband the crowd.
The crowd became angry at the heavy-handed approach by the security forces and in the melee that followed, Brimob members fired at the crowd, killing one person and wounding three others.
According to the police, the organisers did not have a permit to hold the event.
The Free West Papua Campaign claims the event was also a fundraiser for victims of Cyclone Pam.