Four Civilians Die, Six Security Personnel Injured in Papu Attack

Jayapura, Papua (Antara) - Four civilians were killed while six security personnel sustained injuries in the attacks on a military post and police office in Enarotali, Paniai District, Papua Province, on Monday. Spokesman of the Papua Provincial Police Headquarter Senior Commissioner Sulistyo Pudjo said here Monday evening that the root causes of the attack of several hundreds of local people on the military and police precincts were not yet known. "According to the people's information, four civilians died while three soldiers and three policemen got injured. The police have yet to know the root causes of the attack. But, a communal fight involving unidentified people happened on Sunday at about 08.00 pm local time," he said. Besides attacking the military and police precincts, the General Election Commission office had also been torched by the angry mob, Pujdo said, adding that a number of people and six security personnel got injured after being hit by stones thrown by the attackers. The Monday attacks happened following the street fight among local residents taking place in Pondok Natal, Gunung Merah area of Enarotali, on Sunday evening, he said. The street fight could be resolved but the General Election Commission building was on fire on early Monday at 02.30 am local time. On Monday at 08.00 am local time, the Madi - Enarotali road in Gunung merah was blocked by the angry people, he said. As a result of the blockade, the people's activities got disrupted. The police then negotiated with those blocking the road in which they agreed to open it, he said. "Unfortunately, at the end of the negotiation process, a string of fires got heard from the hill about one or two kilometers away (from the place where the negotiation process took place-ed). We do not know who has opened the fire," Pudjo added. (*) Reported by Alfian Rumagit