We still need to verify the data on the incident,"Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government needs to verify all data and reports on the latest bloody conflict in Papua Province that killed 19 people, a presidential spokesman said.
"We still need to verify the data on the incident," Julian Aldrin Pasha, the presidential spokesman, said here on Monday.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto has taken some steps to deal with the problem, he said.
All results of field investigation would be submitted to concerned authorities and then reported to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono through Minister Djoko Suyanto, according to Julian.
"I think the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs will explain about the incident," Julian said.
Meanwhile, Police have confirmed that 19 people had been killed in a clash in Kimak hamlet in Ilaga, Puncak District in the eastern province of Papua.
"A communal clash has occurred in Ilaga, Papua, on July 30 and 31, 2011 leaving 19 people dead and one wounded," the head of the National Police`s public relations division, Inspector General Anton Bachrul Alam, said here on Monday.
Relating the chronology of the events, Anton said the clash occurred after the local General Election Commission (KPU) refused to accept documents from Simon Alom who was seeking to run for district head on a reason that the party that initially supported Simon had withdrew its support.
"Thomas Tabuni as the local chief of Gerindra Party who initially supported Simon Alom had withdrawn his support. Due to it Simon Alom`s supporters were angry and then attacked Thomas Tabuni supporters causing a clash," he said.
On July 31, on the same location, a clash occurred again leaving the house of Thomas Tabuni, his official home and a house damaged while the KPU office had been burned.
Anton said 13 supporters of Thomas Tabuni and four of Simon Alom supporters were killed in the incident. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
