Jayapura – Indonesian military using flame throwers are burning houses, killing people and destroying livestock and gardens in the Kurawage district in West Papua, according to the human rights group Elsham.

Fifteen Papuans had been killed and several hundred others who fled into the forest were now starving, group spokesmen said yesterday.

Two pastors who returned at night last week seeking food for their people were shot, they said. They were Kutis Tabuli, 41 and Engellek Tabuli, 57, who was the district church leader.

Eleven churches had been destroyed and many Papuans were still missing, Elsham said. According to reports, some victims died inside their houses when flamethrowers were used.

Elsham said that when a bible was located, the army would burn it deliberately to show disapproval and more than 50 such burnings had occurred. The military campaign started on April 4 when some weapons were stolen from an army depot at Wamena barracks.

Local sources claim this incident was organised by Kopassus special forces but carried out by a dozen Papuan members of a pro-Jakarta militia. Nine soldiers have already been arrested for their involvement in the theft. During the break-in, two off-duty soldiers were killed but Kopassus has denied responsibility for the bungled burglary.

In retaliation, a large-scale operation was launched using more than a thousand additional troops and Brimob, the mobile police counter insurgence unit.

Indonesia is fighting separatist rebels in West Papua. It faces local opposition over plans to split the area into three provinces.