The Jakarta Globe, Aug 13, 2014
Jayapura. Police tightened security in Papua after a tribal clash that started on Tuesday evening left five people dead.
Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Pudjo Sulistyo said the victims where killed when a group of people attacked Apri Poros hamlet in Mimika district, apparently in retaliation for an earlier killing, the state-run news agency Antara reported.
Pudjo said the clashes were triggered by the death of a leader of the Dani tribe, Korea Wakar, whose body was found in a river on Monday.
The next day, an angry mob tried to avenge Korea’s death by attacking Apri Poros and setting several houses on fire.
“A group of people was attacking the hamlet, when police found out and tried to reach the location, those people blocked the access by barricading the street,” said Rende, a relative of the tribal leader Korea.
The people who were killed in the hamlet were identified as Muhammad Said, 70, Muhammad Agung Kulaken, 27, Noris Timang, Indra Afriadi Saputra, 14, and Arfi Duran, 36.
Two people identified as Saiful (35) and Ahmad Rumra (48) were being treated in hospital. Both sustained serious injuries from sharp weapons.
Police say 1,000 officers have been deployed to provide security in the area.
“All forces have been mobilized to prevent the violence from spreading,” Pudjo said.
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