- Title: Indonesia pledges probe after Papuans protest treatment of students
- Date: 19th August 2019
- Summary: SORONG, WEST PAPUA PROVINCE, INDONESIA (AUGUST 19, 2019) (REUTERS) BURNING TYRES ON THE ROAD POLICE LOOKING AT BURNING TYRES AS MOTORCYCLISTS RIDE PAST BURNING TYRES, MOTORCYCLISTS PEOPLE WALKING NEAR FIRE, GROUP OF PEOPLE TAKING SELFIE VARIOUS OF BANNER ABOUT THE INDONESIA INDEPENDENCE DAY / BURNING TYRES PEOPLE GATHERING AND BLOCKING ROAD PEOPLE GATHERING MOTORCYCLISTS DRIVING PASS BURNING ROADBLOCK BURNING TYRES ACTING AS ROADBLOCK JAKARTA, INDONESIA (AUGUST 19, 2019) (REUTERS) INDONESIAN COORDINATING MINISTER FOR POLITICAL, LEGAL AND SECURITY AFFAIRS, WIRANTO, ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM JOURNALISTS PREPARING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIA COORDINATING MINISTER FOR POLITICAL, LEGAL AND SECURITY AFFAIRS, WIRANTO SAYING: "The government regrets the incident of (the burning) Indonesian flag, which is under investigation in East Java province now. The incident was followed by negative statements and triggered (violent) movements in several areas in Papua and western Papua provinces that were disrupting the nation's unity." JOURNALIST HOLDING MOBILE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIA COORDINATING MINISTER FOR POLITICAL, LEGAL AND SECURITY AFFAIRS, WIRANTO SAYING: "I already called Forpimda (Regional Leadership Forum) at west Papua province and they reported that situation Manokwari in western Papua has calm down." NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURE SIGN READING (Bahasa Indonesia) "COORDINATING MINISTRY FOR POLITICAL, LEGAL AND SECURITY AFFAIRS " EXTERIOR OF THE MINISTRY
- Embargoed: 2nd September 2019 12:15
- Keywords: Indonesia Papua protest violence minister news conference Luhut Panjaitan
- Location: SORONG, JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- City: SORONG, JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASVTRNR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Violent protests continued in parts of Indonesia's Papua on Monday (August 19) in response to claims of racist abuse and physical mistreatment of students in the country's easternmost region, while the government pledged an investigation into the incident.
Thousands of Papuans protested in the cities of Manokwari and Sorong, blocking streets by burning tyres and tree branches.
Indonesia's chief security minister told reporters in Jakarta the situation in Manokwari was contained as he said the protest has 'disrupted' the nation's unity.
The latest protest appears to have been sparked off by the detention of Papuan students in the East Java city of Surabaya accused of bending a flagpole in front of a dormitory during Independence Day celebrations on Saturday (August 17), activists say.
A separatist movement has simmered for decades in Papua, while there have also been frequent complaints of rights abuses by Indonesian security forces.
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