Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Thousands of students are staying away from their dormitories in Abepura, fearing further reprisals after the killing of four security personnel last Thursday.
About 1,200 students fled 18 dormitories – organized by the Cendrawasih University administration or local government – after angry armed Mobile Brigade members raided them on the night of the killings, which occurred during a protest against PT Freeport Indonesia near the university campus.
"The students are afraid to return to the dormitories for fear of another security sweep by Mobile Brigade members," said Decky O Avide, chairman of the university's student body.
Three Mobile Brigade members and an Air Force officer were lynched as the demonstration outside Cendrawasih University became violence.
The university was closed after the riot and is scheduled to reopen March 27.
At least one dormitory was reportedly destroyed last Friday by a group of Mobile Brigade personnel returning from Sentani Airport after the bodies of some of those killed were returned to their hometowns. Residents of other dormitories fled after hearing of the attack.
"Our dormitory was spared but we were afraid to return because we heard that police officers were visiting dormitories," said Martha Diekmi, a Cendrawasih political science student who resides in a dormitory for members of the Amungme Kamoro tribe.
She said she and 13 of her friends hid in the house of a relative but slept in the forest at night to avoid being caught in more sweeps.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Tommy Jacobus called on the students to return to their dormitories because Abepura had returned to normal and Cendrawasih University would reopen soon.
He promised there would be no arbitrary arrests, adding that Mobile Brigade personnel involved in the clash had been sent back to barracks and their duties taken over by police brought in from Makassar, South Sulawesi.
National Police chief Gen. Sutanto said that as of Tuesday, 14 people had been named suspects and police were tracking down another 24.
Among the 14 suspects are the leader of the West Papua Referendum Front, Selpius Bobii; a teacher, Moses Totoba; a parking attendant, Ferry Pakage; and a security officer, Musa Asol. The rest of the suspects are seven students identified as Benius Baker, Alex Wayangkaw, Thomas Okayo, Elkana Lokobal, Elias Tanaka, Matius Patrius Alangior and Obaya Papua, as well as three workers – Louis Gedi, Oten Bapial, Markus Kayame.
The police confiscated three Molotov cocktails, three bullets, three sets of bows and arrows, one round of SS-1 ammunition, one machete, one knife, one dagger and a pair of boots at the site of the Thursday's riot.