Nethy Dharma Somba, Papua – The police forcibly dispersed a student mass rally held in front of Cendrawasih University campus in Waena, Jayapura, Papua province, on Wednesday.

The decision was made after the rally blocked off the only access route into the campus, thus disrupting studying activities.

"The rally was staged right in the front of the gate, therefore the students who weren't involved in the rally couldn't gain access to the campus," Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta Jaya said.

Approximately 50 students staged the rally on behalf of the university's school of social and political science and placed a picture of Papuan Morning Star, which represents the Free Papua Movement (OPM), at the campus gate.

According to Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta Jaya, the police could not establish the students' request during the rally because the rally field coordinator, Yason Ngelim, had fled the scene.

The police arrested Buchtar Tabuni, former head of the West Papua National Committee, who was spotted at the rally. "We want to ask him about the intention of the rally," Sumerta said. (dic)