INDONESIAN BRIMOB para-military police are reported to have shot three Papuan men in Moanemani in Papua province.
The Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights, which says the three are now in a critical condition, reports that the shooting occurred after local people tried to negotiate an outcome from an incident where a truck driver ran over and killed two Papuan youths.
After the shooting a non-Papua resident had been killed, apparently to avenge the police action.
The Institute’s Paula Makabory said the series of incidents in Moanemani highlighted how military-style policing perpetuated an endless cycle of violence in the 50- year Indonesian occupation of West Papua.
Ms Makabory said police escalated the incident by ignoring local custom and quickly resorting to shooting local people rather than pursuing negotiation.
