Pacific / West Papua

Rally in Papua demands perpetrator of a fatal shooting be brought to justice

19:45 pm on 22 August 2017

Protests continue over fatal shooting Photo: Tabloid Jubi

Thousands of people have held a rally in Deiyai in Indonesia's Papua region demanding the perpetrator of a fatal shooting this month be brought to justice.

A Catholic priest Santon Tekege told the Jakarta Post thousands marched to the Deiyai Legislative Council on Monday over the incident.

The paper reports they also called for the removal of the contractor PT Putra Dewa Paniai and police Brimob personnel from the Mee Pago indigenous area.

Yulianus Pigai died and and up to 16 others were injured when police tried to disperse an angry crowd that had destroyed a construction camp in the area.

The August 1 incident followed the death of a local villager who'd needed help from the construction firm to get to hospital.

The Post reported demonstrators yesterday performed traditional dances while others carried signs and banners slamming the incident.

Rallies protesting the shooting also took place in Jakarta, Bandung and Gorontalo.

The paper reported the Tigi police chief was dismissed over the incident and a number of Brimob personnel investigated.