Their Houses Burned By Unknown Persons, Hundreds Of Papuans Stay At TNI-Polri Posts

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAYAPURA - Around 100 people consisting of women and children, since the evening of Sunday, May 22, have fled to the TNI-Polri post in Dogiyai Regency, Papua after the houses and kiosks they lived in were burned by residents whose origins are not yet known.

"It's true that Sunday night until Monday morning, residents' houses were burned in three locations, so they fled to the TNI-Polri posts," said Dogiyai Police Chief Commissioner Bambang Suranggono in Jayapura, Papua, Monday 23 May.

He explained that it was not yet clear which group did the burning, but it was suspected that it was the indigenous people of Dogiyai and its surroundings.

"It has not been confirmed because they have joined forces who initially tried to burn the market but were unsuccessful, so they diverted it to people's homes," said Commissioner Bambang as quoted by Antara.

He stated that the situation was tense because people who wanted to set fires tried to burn various locations that were not secured.

There is even an allegation that the Polsek office which is the Dogiyai Police Headquarters has also been targeted and is about to be burned.

Currently, the security forces are on standby and the Police Chief, Bambang, has asked for additional troops to anticipate further fires.

"According to police records, 20 housing units located in the villages of Ikebo, Kimipugi, and Ekimanida were burned down but there were no casualties," said Head of Police Dogiyai Commissioner Bambang.