Jayapura, Jubi – Monday, (02/05/2016), Papua Police arrested protesters including West Papua National Committee (KNPB) members, student activists and Papuan pro-independence supporters.
The activists were held in several places, including Jayapura, Sentani, Merauke, Manokwari, Timika and Sorong.
In Jayapura Municipality, the police detained activists who were protesting in seven locations.
The Secretary General of the Central West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Oneh Suhuniap said the arrest was initially occurred on Monday, 2 May 2016 at 09:00 Papua time in front of the Campus Gate of Cenderawasih University, Perumnas 3 Waena. Jayapura Municipal Police have detained 178 activists consisting of the students of University of Cenderawasih, KNPB activists and Papuan supporters.
In this detention, the First Chairman of Central KNPB Agus Kossay, First Secretary of Central KNPB Mecky Yeimo, KNBP Spokesperson Bazoka Logo and Deputy Chairman of West Papua National Parliament (PNWP) of Ha Anim Region Eliaser Anggainom were also arrested.
Initially at 07:00 Papua time, Agus Kossay and the protesters walked through the circle of the Perumnas III Waena. At 08:00 Papua time, the crowed arrived in front of the campus gate of the University of Cenderawasih but the Police have waited the crowd.
“In a half hour, at 09:00 Papua time, the Police conducted an arrest against some student and KNPB activists as well as the mass supporters. In this detaintion, the Police have seized a number of KNPB flags, 181 cellphones and banners,” said Ones Suhaniap to Jubi.
Additionally, about two hundreds were arrested at Lingkaran Abepura. And the third detention was occurred at 10:30 Papua time. The Police seized a number of KNPB flags, pamphlets, megaphone, cellphones and other attributes.
He explained, at 06:00 Papua time, the crowd has been gathered at Mimika Student Dormitory in Abepura sector. The preparation was done from 06:00 to 08:00 Papua time before they walked from the gathering point at 08:30 Papua time and prayed at the Secretariat of Abepura Sector. At 08:40 Papua time, the crowd walked through the gathering mass point at Lingkaran Abepura led by the Area Coordinator Dolia Ubruangge and Deputy Area Coordinator Lacar Sama. The mass has already been gathered at Lingkaran Abepura at 08:30.
“At 09:00 Papua time, the protesters led by Ubruangeg and Sama did the political orations. After a half and an hour, at 10:30 Papua time, the Police came to arrests the protesters. About two hundreds activists were taken by four police trucks towards the Mobile Brigader Headquarters in Kotaraja,” he said.
In the same day, 203 activists were detained at Den Zipur Waena. People have already gathered at the KNPB Expo Sector at 07:30 Papua time. For five hours, the crowd was gathered at Expo Square, Waena. They walked from the Expo Sector Secretariat at 10:00 towards Abepura to join the mass protesters in the campus gate of the University of Cenderawasih Abepura. But the Police have blockaded the road, so the crowd turned to walk behind the Mega Supermarket towards Den Zipur.
At 11:20 Papua time, the Police blockaded the crowd at Zipur Waena. The mass tried to conduct negation with the Police, but failed. The Police did not allow them to go to Abepura. 203 activists were arrested then at 11:30 Papua time. The Police got them in 3 police’s truck and brought them to Mobile Brigade Headquarters in Kotaraja. They remained not being released until now.
Suhuniap added 50 KNPB activists and students have been arrested at Waena traffic light. The second mass rally was occurred from Puncak Jaya Women Dormitory, Yahukimo Student Dormitory and Paniai Student Dormitory. They conducted a rally to Abepura to join the first crowd. The Police banned the protesters and arrested them, brought them into the Police truck to the Mobile Brigade Headquarters in Kotaraja. Some students who gathered at the campus of the University of Cenderawasih in Abepura were also been arrested by the Police and took to the Mobile Brigade Headquarters.
Then, 115 people were arrested at the bus halt, Yapis Dok V, Jayapura City. The crowd led by the First Chairman of KNPB Numbay Jimmi Browai was detained and took to the Jayapura Municipal Police in two Police’s trucks.
“So, in total about 1.449 people were arrested in Jayapura City within the day,” he said. In addition, a number of 27 KNPB Sorong Raya activists have been arrested when conducting a rally in UKIP Malanu, Sorong City on Monday (2/5/2016) at 08:00 Papua time. The Police and Military Joint Force disbanded the crowd. Now they are detained at Sorong Municipal Police Headquarters.
The Chairman of KNPB Sentani Alen Halitopo said 6 activists were arrested in Sentani at 08:00 Papua time. The arrest was occurred when people were gathered at Pos 7 Street.
“Without negotiation, they were arrested and took to Jayapura Regional Police Headquarters at Doyo Baru Sentani. Besides the detention, a number of mass attributes were seized by the Police,” said Halitopo.
As many as 200 KNPB activists were arrested by Merauke Police in the peace rally at Tugu Pepera Merauke. The Military and Police Joint Force has blockaded the mass led by the Chairman of Merauke KNPB Gento Doop and First Secretary Charles Sraun and forcedly disbanded them. After dispersing the crowd, the Police took the activists into 5 Police trucks and brought them to the Police Headquarters. led by the Chairman of Merauke KNPB Gento Doop and First Secretary Charles Sraun
Some KNPB in Baliem Region were also conducted a rally at the Secretariat of KNPB Baliem Wamena. The Police reportedly arrested them but the number is still not being confirmed. “The total of today arrest, Monday (02/05/2016) in Papua is 1.692 activists. It is the recent data reported from Merauke, Jayapura, Sorong and Sentani,” said Ones Suhuniap.
Peace rally organized by KNPB is express the support on the International Parliamentarian for West Papua (IPWP) conference and support to ULMWP to be accepted as the full member in the Melanesia Spearhead Groups. The rally, according to, Papua Police Spokesperson Senior Police Commissionaire Patrige Renwarin has not obtained license from the Police. “It’s already clear. Papua Police Chief has firmly said this organization is not listed. There is no permit for demonstration. If they insisted to do that, they would be disbanded. Moreover this demonstration was against the State sovereignty and it can not be justified,” he said. (Abeth You/rom)
