Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Papuans claim that Indonesian riot police have used an ongoing tribal warfare in eastern Papua to kill at least three Papuan villagers.

Two tribes armed with spears, bows and arrows and traditional machetes have been warring since last Thursday in Kwambi Lama, a village close to the giant Freeport copper mine.

However, a resident of Kwambi Lama claims that the more than 600 riot police and military sent to end the conflict have been shooting indiscriminately into fighting tribesmen.

The villager claims that police shot Eric Murib on Monday, and an evangelical priest, August Wetapo, over the weekend. "They were killed in Kwambi Lama by police," Albert Yikwa said.

He said the police killings were in revenge for a weekend shooting incident at the Freeport mine where anonymous gunmen damaged a Freeport vehicle.

Police deny the accusations, saying the two, plus a third man, were victims of the tribal conflict. "That's a lie. They died because there is a tribal war," a police spokesman said.

He said that about 50 people injured in the fighting were being treated at the nearby Mitra Masyarakat Hospital.