Jayapura- Three police personnel were victims of stone throwing by a mob carrying out an action in Jayapura City, Papua, Tuesday (2/4/2024).
The action coordinated by the Papuan Student and People’s Front Against Militarism (FMRPAM) initially stated that they were carrying out a peaceful demonstration.
However, it turned out that they actually threw stones at two points, namely at Perumnas III Waena and the USTJ Padang Bulan Campus T-junction, Tuesday (2/4/2024) afternoon.
This was stated by the Head of Operations for the Jayapura City Police, Commissioner M.B.Y Hanafi, S.H., S.I.K., M.H as Control Personnel who provided security when met in the work room, Tuesday (2/4/2024) evening.
The Head of Ops explained that initially the demonstrators who took place at Perumnas III Waena and the USTJ T-junction forced themselves to go to the Papua DPR Office.
“The mass action was forced to move to the Papuan DPR Office, but because the disturbance disrupted the general flow, we prevented it and offered to facilitate a few representatives who were escorted to the mass demonstration’s destination,” he said.
What happened next was that stones were thrown at these two points, then stones were thrown by some of the protesters.
“In accordance with the SOP, we took firm and measured action by dispersing the protesters using flashballs or tear gas,” he added.
As a result of stone throwing by the protesters at the USTJ Campus junction, a number of police officers became victims.
“Three of our Dalmas members were victims of stone throwing. “In fact, one of them had a natural wound on the face, specifically on the left side of the nose and had to receive medical treatment,” said the Head of Ops.
As a result of the dispersal of the protesters, one of the protesters also suffered injuries due to crowding when officers were dispersed using tear gas.
“We, the police, apologize for this incident, but of course everything that happened would not have happened so quickly if there had been no fire,” said the Head of Operations.
Police Commissioner Hanafi also regretted that he had to suffer casualties, even though at the beginning the coordination and communication activities went well. It seemed that there was good faith on the part of the protesters and the personnel providing security.
“It is possible that someone infiltrated and aimed to trigger the forced dispersal of the mass demonstration by officers. “But thank God, everything can still be controlled and conditioned,” he regretted.
The mass action situation was then able to proceed safely and smoothly at one point at the lower Uncen Gate until the completion of the reading and delivery of the position statement by the mass action coordinator and received directly by the Head of the Human Rights Activity Monitoring and Counseling Team of the Republic of Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission for Papua, Melchior S. Weruin, S.H and Member of Commission I DPR Papua Jhon Nassion Gobay.
