The Jakarta Globe, June 22, 2012
The Papua Police have detained 25 people following days of violent clashes between residents in Kwamki Lama in Papua’s Mimika district, a police officer said on Friday.
“The police continue to cooperate with customary leaders and the society to overcome the conflict pitting residents from Kwamki Lama Atas and Kwamki Lama Bawah,” said National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar.
Boy said a total of 30 people have been questioned in connection with the violence.
“25 of them have been declared suspects and were detained,” Boy added.
He said the 25 suspects were all from the two camps in conflict.
“This is our effort to overcome the potential of more conflict and to reduce the tension in Kwamki Lama. We are calling on our brothers and sisters there who are still in conflict to halt the violence because we do no not want victims to fall because of this incident,” Boy said.
According to reports, three people have been killed since June 6 in the intermittent fighting.
Police have said they suspect the violence, which has included street skirmishes involving spears and arrows, was sparked by a minor traffic accident.
The violence between the residents of the two camps is not a first. Similar traditional warfare pitting local factions against each other took place in Kwamki Lama in April and May.
za 23 jun 2012 - 2:43