"The situation in Papua is now conducive and in Puncak Jaya, we are inviting tribal chiefs to sit together," National Police Spokesman Isp. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said here on Wednesday.
He said that police were planning to invite customary leaders as part of their efforts to prevent certain conflicting parties from taking revenge against their enemies.
"With the meeting among the tribal chiefs we hope they would not attack with each other. Yet, legal process should go on," the police spokesman said.
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"Thomas Tabuni as the local chief of Gerindra Party who initially supported Simon Alom had withdrawn his support.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.
Police have already tried to drive away the rival groups to prevent further conflicts but the situation became uncontrollable after the two groups used arrows and stones to attack each other.
"A police Mobile Brigade member namely Second Brigadier Frans has even suffered an arrow wound though it was not serious. Due to the clash two people were killed and another one wounded," he said.
On July 31, in the same location, a clash broke out 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.
"To support 11 police mobile brigade (Brimob) personnel mobilized there, Papua regional police command has already sent a platoon of Brimob members there," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
