Jakarta, IO – Papua Police arrested 13 people suspected of instigating a riot that killed 12 people in Wamena, Papua, recently. “Four have been charged, while nine are still under investigation,” said Papua Police spokesperson Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo, reported Tempo, Tuesday (28/2).
Benny also said the situation has been more conducive. The Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) has also been held to resolve the issue.
The riot started with a rumor of child kidnapping circulating in the community. The residents became even more suspicious after they saw two traveling salesmen driving around on Thursday (23/2). They accused them of being the kidnappers.
“They believed the salesmen were the perpetrators. Then wanted to settle it at the police station, the salesmen refused so the crowd grew in number and became more emotional,” he said.
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They began to provoke a riot even though community leaders tried to calm them down. They then attacked security personnel and chaotic scenes erupted. In the end, 12 people were killed and 32 injured including 18 security personnel. (un)