Markus Makur, Timika – Eight people have been killed and 19 others injured in ongoing violence involving four tribes in Tembagapura district, Mimika, Papua.

The situation remained explosive Wednesday in the Banti rural sub-district, the site of the violent clashes. More than 120 armed police officers have been deployed to the area to try and bring the violence under control.

"I can confirm that a fresh clash has taken place in Banti and I will immediately go to the area to assist the local authorities in defusing the volatile situation," Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. GC Mansnembra said Wednesday morning.

The violence reportedly pits members of the Dani, Damal and Moni tribes against the Amungme tribe. The first three tribes live in Kimberly village, while the Amungme reside in three villages: Tsinga, Arwanop and Banti. All of the villages are near the operation site of giant copper and gold mining company Freeport Indonesia.

Officer Mansnembra and the speaker of the Mimika Legislative Council, Yoseph Yopi Kilangin, arrived in Banti on Wednesday afternoon and began contacting leaders of the feuding tribes.

Initial police reports suggest Dani, Damal and Moni tribesmen attacked members of the Amungme in Banti. The ensuing battle reportedly left four people dead.

"As of Wednesday evening, the war has claimed eight lives; three from the Amungme and five from the other three tribes," said a source in Banti, who asked not to be identified. He said armed police officers had cordoned off the Banti area in an attempt to separate the tribes.

"This war was triggered by the death of Fred Magai," the source said. Magai was the son of a Dani man and an Amungme woman. About a week ago, Magai, under the influence of alcohol, scaled a three-meter high outer wall at Freeport Indonesia.

The young man fell from the wall and died the following day at the Tembagapura hospital where he had been taken for treatment. "PT Freeport Indonesia provided the Magai family with an undisclosed sum of cash. The money split the family in two along tribal lines," the source said.

Magai was buried by his relatives from the Dani tribe. This angered Magai's relatives from the Amungme tribe. The Amungme tribesmen then accused the Dani of keeping all the money from Freeport. "The accusation obviously enraged the Dani. With anger boiling on both sides, an open tribal war is just a matter of time," the source said.

Tribal violence is not uncommon in the region. Violence flared a month ago in Banti over an extramarital affair.