11 Nov 2017 | 03:53 AM UTC
Indonesia: Militants hold two villages hostage in Papua province Nov. 10
Armed separatists hold two villages hostage near American-run mine in Papua province as of November 10
Event
Armed separatists are occupying two villages in Papua province as of Friday, November 10. Approximately 24 members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) are holding around 1300 village residents hostage. The militants occupied the villages on Wednesday, November 8, and have blocked residents from entering or leaving. The villages are reportedly near the American-run Grasberg mine, which has been a target for OPM attacks in the past.
Some 700 security personnel have reportedly surrounded the villages and are monitoring the situation. No casualties have been reported. Security officials stated on Friday that they are working with local community leaders to resolve the situation.
Context
Political tensions in Papua province have given rise to occasional violence between the OPM and the Indonesian authorities. The OPM has waged an insurgency against the Indonesian government since Papua was transferred from Dutch to Indonesian rule in 1962. The Grasberg mine has been a longstanding target of the OPM insurgency. Shootings near the mine between 2009-2015 reportedly killed at least 20 people and injured 59 others.
Advice
Individuals present in the region are advised to remain vigilant, to monitor the situation, and to obey all instructions issued by the local authorities.
On a related note, most Western governments advise against nonessential travel to the provinces of Papua and West Papua, to Central Sulawesi province (especially Palu, Poso, and Tentena), and to Maluku province (especially Ambon), due to the potential for violent conflict.
