Jakarta – Mimika police in Papua have put joint forces of 400 policemen and soldiers on alert ahead of the anniversary of the separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM) which falls on Dec. 1.

Mimika police chief Adj. Comr. Muhammad Sagih said Monday that the police had anticipated possible security disturbances or the raising of separatist Morning Star flag.

"However, until this moment, there is no indication of OPM flag hoisting. Yes, we've got many rumors about possible flag hoisting," Sagih told Tempointeraktif.com in the regency capital of Timika.

Sagih said the joint police-military operation had already begun and security forces had been deployed to areas prone to security problems.

Thomas Wanmang, a member of Mimika Cultural Council, said that he also had not heard of anyone planning to hoist the Morning Star flag.

Separatist flag hoisting is illegal, and the police have in the past arrested people raising the Morning Star flag.

Mimika, which hosts gold mining giant Freeport Indonesia, is notorious for ambushes. Earlier this year, a 29-year-old Australian, an Indonesian security guard working for Freeport and a policeman were killed in separate attacks.

In 2002, two American teachers and their Indonesian colleague were killed on the same stretch of road.