Jakarta – Irian Jaya Police Chief Brigadier General S.Y. Wenas yesterday ordered his personnel to continue a crackdown on separatist flags flying in the country's troubled easternmost province.

West Papuans are no longer allowed to have T-shirts, caps, bags or any other belongings featuring separatist slogans, Wenas told Antara in the Irian Jaya town of Fak Fak. He claimed the decision was taken at the request of locals who do not want security conditions to become unstable in the province, also called West Papua.

Wenas made the statement following Tuesday's violence by pro-independence supporters who rampaged through a village after police pulled down separatist flags. At least one woman was wounded when police fired in the air to disperse the rampaging mob, Aloysius Renwarin of Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human Rights (ELSHAM) was quoted by AFP as saying in the province's capital of Jayapura.

"The housewife was about to close the door when she was hit on her arm by a stray bullet," Renwarin said, adding the woman, a settler from Sulawesi identified as Zainab, was still being treated in hospital. Earlier reports of Tuesday's incident said there had been no casualties.

ELSHAM leader John Rumbiak said Tuesday the clashes broke out around midday after 30 Mobile Brigade (Brimob) police personnel pulled down the separatist "Morning Star" flag in several villages in Manokwari. "More than 100 Papuans reacted by going into the streets and burning tires, smashing bottles, breaking trees and blocking the roads," Rumbiak told AFP.