Timika, Papua (ANTARA) - The Mimika police on Monday raided a house in the Benglap area of Karang Senang SP3 Village, and confiscated 115 arrows, 22 archery bows, an axe, two machetes, and two pump-air rifles, believed to be owned by activists of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB).

According to Deputy Chief of Mimiki District Police Commissioner, I Nyoman Punia, the policemen also found several military-like uniforms, and a wooden board containing the Papuan separatist, "Bintang Kejora" (morning star), symbol.

The police investigators examined whether the house was the KNPB secretariat, he said, adding that the tip-off by local residents led the police to the building, which is located beside a public school.

Three suspected sympathizers of the separatist-backing organization were taken for questioning, he added.

Over these past two months, a wave of violence broke out in several parts of Papua and West Papua in the upshot of the Surabaya incident, and hoaxes pertaining to a teacher's racist slur against native Papuan students that had triggered public ire among Papuans.

On August 28, for instance, a circle of violence also erupted in Deiyai District, some 500 kilometers away from Jayapura, resulting in the deaths of an army soldier and two civilians.

On August 29, the indigenous Papuan residents of Jayapura had staged protests yet again, venting their fury over the alleged racist slurs against their Papuan compatriots in Surabaya, but their rally then turned violent.

The brutal demonstrators went on a rampage, vandalizing and setting ablaze several government buildings. The office of ANTARA, Indonesia's national news agency, in the city, was also intentionally damaged by the demonstrators.

Then, on September 23, a deadly rioting occurred in Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya District, Papua Province, during a rally that native Papuan students staged.

Thirty-three people, including a doctor, were killed, while at least 77 others sustained injuries due to the riot that had also forced several thousands of residents, mostly non-native Papuans, to take refuge to the local military and police compounds.

Among the dead and the wounded were non-native Papuans who had been assaulted by rioters brandishing machetes and arrows. Many of them migrated to Papua from their hometowns in provinces such as West Sumatra and South Sulawesi to make a living.

According to National Police Spokesman, Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo, the masterminds of this deadly riot are allegedly members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB).

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Translator: Evarianus S, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani
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