Makassar: 1st December commemorations met with police repression

On 2 December 2024, The Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) held a peaceful demonstration in Makassar, South Sulawesi, to commemorate the 63rd Papua Independence Day. The march began at 9:50 am from the Kamasan IV dormitory toward the Mandala Monument. Despite prior notification to authorities, police repeatedly blocked the demonstrators, citing the presence of Morning Star symbols on banners and clothing as a violation. Negotiations with the police failed, leading to the students breaking through barricades to continue their march.

At 10:40 am, the situation escalated when Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers arrived, using tear gas and physical force to disperse the protesters. Twelve participants were beaten and struck with blunt objects during the clashes, with eight students sustaining minor injuries, three suffering serious injuries, and one allegedly grazed by a bullet. Authorities reportedly arrested 17 protesters, including a legal adviser from LBH Makassar. While most detainees were released by evening, two remained in custody. Several police officers were injured as protesters threw stones at the officers in response to the attempt to disperse the crowd with teargas.

Detailed Case Data
name of the location: Mandala Monument of West Irian Liberation (-5.137425401673302, 119.41377897405006)
administrative region: Indonesia, South Sulawesi Province, Makassar City
total number of victims: dozens
period of incident: 02.12.2024
perpetrator: police
perpetrator details: Brimob
Issues: freedom of expression, torture, ill-treatment, freedom of peaceful assembly, indigenous peoples, arbitrary arrest
Sources:
Further HRM News: https://humanrightsmonitor.org/news/1st-december-commemorations-in-various-locations-across-indonesia-responded-by-police-repression/

NumberName, DetailsGenderAgeGroup AffiliationViolations
12unknownmaleunknownindigenous, activistill-treatment, freedom of assembly
17unknown femaleunknownindigenous, activistarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly
dozensunknownunknownunknownindigenous, activistfreedom of assembly