December 03, 2011
Two Indonesian policemen were shot dead on Saturday in the latest deadly attack in eastern Indonesia's restive Papua province, police said.
Provincial police spokesman Wachyono said that an unidentified armed group opened fire at paramilitary police in Puncak Jaya highland in central Papua.
"There had been an exchange of fire for about 30 minutes between police and the attackers," he said. "We are still chasing the attackers.
"Two policemen died after being shot in the head and another was injured in the thigh, he said.
In October Indonesia sent 260 paramilitary reinforcements to the highland, a known hub for Papuan separatists, after a local police chief was shot dead by a group of attackers.
Papuans, mostly ethnic Melanesians, have rejected their special autonomy status within Indonesia and poorly armed separatist groups have fought a low-level insurgency.
Indonesia is accused of torture and other gross human rights abuses in Papua at the hands of the police and military.
Jakarta denies the allegations but refuses to allow foreign media or aid workers into the region to conduct independent inquiries.
Agence France-Presse
(read in the JG)
za 3 dec 2011 - 20:04