Security forces in Indonesia were involved in confrontations on September 22 to ensure law and order in a town located in an area situated in the easternmost province of Papua, after reports of buildings being set on fire and gunshots came to light in the middle of a new set of protests by citizens.

A political upheaval

The region was thrown into political upheaval quite a few times for 14 days in the latter part of August that was based on the issue of racial comments against Papuan students in the city of Surabaya who were attacked in their dormitory and held over allegations of disrespecting a national flag. 

Wamena, a town in Papua, witnessed a chaotic environment while the town's airport was also shut down amid protests. According to reports, protestors set homes and government buildings ablaze along with gunshots during a demonstration that was apparently started by racial comments hurled at students in the city of Wamena. The violent unrest is being taken a look at by the police and the military officials with a view to control the situation. 

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Papua houses the world's biggest gold mine and 2nd biggest copper mine known as the Grasberg mine which was a Dutch colony that became a part of Indonesia after the United Nations-backed direct vote back in the year 1969.

Decades-old conflict

Since then, Papua has been subject to years of conflict at a low level and after the demonstrations in August started, Indonesia deployed more than 6000 military and police officers. The concerned authorities also shut down internet services so that people did not have access to social media.

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The police officials have arrested quite a few people for defacing public property during the demonstrations with a lot of people being named suspects in committing the act of treason over a demand for a referendum asking for independence that the concerned people have completely ruled out. Papua is also known as a land filled with cultural and biological diversity and also a place inhabited by native Melanesian tribes and animals such as tree kangaroos and white sharks.

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(With inputs from AP)