Jayapura, 11/3 (Jubi)-About 350 police were deployed to maintain security during a rally by an organization called the Movement of Youths, Students and People (Gempar), in a move that has been criticized as excessive.
Personnel from the Jayapura city police, Papua Police and the Mobile Brigade Unit were stood guard in some locations in Jayapura on Tuesday (11/3).
Jayapura police chief Alfred Papare told reporters after the demonstration that the large police presence were intended to maintain stability because because the group had announced their planned rally through text messages and leaflets distributed in neighbourhoods like in Perumnas III Waena, the old campus of Cenderwasih University, STIH Umel Mandiri campus , USTJ campus and Otow Geisler campus and STIKOM Muhammadiyah campus.
“We wanted to avoid clashes and conflicts between students and security forces,” Papare.
Protestor Alvares Kapisa said that the protest was peaceful and the presence of security forces in the campus was too much.
“If we are part of this country, we should be allowed be out of the campus and convey our aspirations to the Governor of Papua. We only criticize the policies issued by the Government of Indonesia in Papua, ” Alvares said in his speech. (Jubi / Aprila/ Tina)
