Following the PRP’s call for public protests against the formation of new provinces in West Papua, the PRP branch in Kaimana organised a peaceful demonstration on 14 July 2022. Mr Fando Nyai, the local PRP representative PRP submitted a formal registration letter for a peaceful protest march through Kaimana on 4 July 2022. In a response letter dated 12 July, the police claimed that the registration letter did not meet the formal criteria for registering a demonstration and refused to issue an acknowledgement letter for the registration.
A crowd of several hundred protesters gathered in various locations in Kaimana on 14 July 2022. Police officers blocked the roads to the local parliament. The local police chief, I Ketut Widiarta, called upon the crowd to enter police trucks which would bring them to the local parliament. However, the crowd rejected this proposal. Thereupon, Mr Nyai was able to convince the protesters to enter trucks which he organised by himself, while the other protesters followed on motorcycles.
According to information received, police officers beat two protesters with wooden batons. The police dragged them off the bike and forced them to enter one of the trucks. One of the victims, Mr Aser Bary, was beaten with a wooden baton and sustained bruises on his chest and back as a result of the excessive force applied against him.
The spokesperson of the Papua Barat Regional Police (Polda Papua Barat), Officer Adam Erwindi, denied allegations of protesters being beaten during the demonstration in Kaimana.
Detailed Case Data
Location: Kaimana District
Region: Indonesia, Papua Barat Province, Kaimana, Kaimana
Region: Indonesia, West Papua, Kaimana, Kaimana
Total number of victims: 2
#
Number of Victims
Name, Details
Gender
Age
Group Affiliation
Violations
1.
1
Aser Bary
male
unknown
Indigenous Peoples, Activist
ill-treatment, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly
2.
1
unknown
male
unknown
Indigenous Peoples, Activist
ill-treatment, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly
3.
dozens
unknown
unknown
unknown
Activist
freedom of expression, freedom of assembly
Perpetrator: Indonesian Police
Perpetrator details: unknown
Issues: security force violence, indigenous peoplesSources:
https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20220714184720-20-821707/massa-demo-tolak-dob-di-papua-barat-dipukul-rotan-polisi-bantah