JAKARTA, Indonesia (August 31, 2000 - Indonesian Observer/Kabar-Irian)---A pro-Jakarta supporter in West Papua (Irian Jaya) says separatists are responsible for a recent bloody incident in which police shot dead three natives.
Decky Asmuruf says Papua Council Presidium is solely to blame for the killings, because it had encouraged local residents of Sorong to believe their region was independent.
Separatists and locals early on August 22 hoisted West Papua’s Morning Star flag outside the Imanuel Boswezen Church in Kampung Baru, East Sorong sub district.
Police arrived a couple of hours later and demanded the flag be taken down.
A clash broke out, with locals hurling arrows and spears, while police started shooting.
Police shot dead three people and injured 17 others. Three policemen were stabbed. Some 26 rioters were arrested.
Decky, a former Sorong community official now living in the West Papua capital, Jayapura, blasted the separatist...