Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A man was reportedly killed in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, during an event Saturday celebrating the International Day of the World's Indigenous People.

Otinus Tabuni of Wamena reportedly died a moment after a group of people broke into the celebration site and hoisted four flags, one of which was the Free Papua Organization (OPM) separatist movement's Morning Star. Authorities have yet to confirm the report.

Witnesses say they heard riot police fire warning shots into the air as the flags were raised. "The person was shot in the chest," Papuan Traditional Council (DAP) chairman Fadall Al Hamid told The Jakarta Post.

Fadall said the flag incident was not on the agenda of the DAP who organized the event.

Wamena Military District Commander Lt. Col. Inf. Gandry told the Post that initially the celebrations had gone smoothly. "We heard someone was dead in the crowd but we could not approach," he said.

Also on Saturday in Jakarta, some 100 members of the Muslim group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) staged a rally outside the US embassy, protesting a petition from the US Congress for the release of two convicted Papuan separatists.

Carrying banners saying "We are against US intervention in Papua," the demonstrators urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to reject the petition and stick to the government's traditional stance of eradicating separatist movements in Indonesia.

Some 40 members of US Congress had sent a letter to Yudhoyono demanding an "immediate and unconditional" release of Filep Karma and Yusac Pakage, who in 2005 were sentenced to 15 and 10 years respectively for treason.

"The letter is clear evidence that the US have given their support to the Papuan separatist group," HTI chairman Farid Wajdi said as quoted by Antara.