Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Mimika Police on Wednesday arrested 15 people for an attack on the Sheraton Timika Hotel in Timika, Papua, on Tuesday, and are searching for five more suspects.

The 15 people arrested were among a group of protesters who have blocked off one of the roads leading to the Freeport gold mine in Timika for the last several days to protest the American mining giant's activities in the province.

During the arrests, two police officers suffered arrow wounds when the suspects attacked them with traditional weapons.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Kartono S. told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday the police officers were attacked as they attempted to arrest 20 people suspected of involvement in the hotel attack.

He said police fired warning shots after they came under attack and were able to arrest 15 of the suspects, with the remaining five suspects managing to flee.

"Currently the checkpoint (on the road to the mine) is clear, there are no more residents there and the police are on guard," he said.

He said the 15 suspects were arrested for the attack on the hotel and the possession of dangerous weapons. "They're currently being questioned at Mimika Police Headquarters," Kartono said.

The two wounded police officers are being treated at Mitra Community Hospital in Timika. Hospital deputy director Antonius Darmono said the two officers were admitted about two hours apart with arrow wounds. Darmono told AFP one of the officers underwent emergency surgery to remove an arrow from his chest.

Those responsible for the attack on the Sheraton smashed up four buses and set a car alight. They were expressing their anger over the operations of Freeport. The hotel's guests, including members of the Papua provincial council and the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), had to be evacuated.

The attack forced the councillors and MRP members to cancel a visit to the Freeport mine to gather information ahead of a planned special session on March 22 to decide Papua's stance on Freeport's operations in the province.

"It's likely there will be no special session because we have no information to discuss because we didn't get to the mine," councillor Abdul Hakim told the Post in Jayapura.

Eleven councillors and 18 MRP members staying at the hotel were on a five-day working visit to Freeport's mines in Tembagapura and Timika in Mimika regency. The trip was to gather information following widespread protests demanding the closure of Freeport's mines over allegations of environmental damage and complaints that the company's operations failed to benefit Papuans.

"We went to Freeport to gather data following protests demanding Freeport's closure... but we didn't get there because people blocked the road and attacked the Sheraton hotel where we were staying," Abdul said.

In Jayapura, members of the Papua's People Fighting Front, led by Arnold Omba, blocked a road outside Cendrawasih University in Abepura, demanding Freeport's closure and the withdrawal of soldiers deployed to secure the mine.

The protest, which began at noon, completely blocked off the street, causing long traffic jams. The only vehicles allowed to pass were ambulances, and that only after protesters checked to determine whether the vehicles were carrying sick people.