Police have been accused of instigating violent clashes with anguished West Papuan demonstrators over marking a dark day of their homeland's incorporation into Indonesian sovereignty.
The anniversary of the infamous 1962 US-brokered, New York agreement at the United Nations surrendered Western New Guinea to Jakarta after the Netherlands — the colonial power of both outposts at one stage — eventually dispersed its administration of the Papuan territory following 134 years of historic rule.
Dozens of reportedly civil and peaceful protests took place across West Papua on Saturday in several significant cities and towns, however the demonstrations were met with the use of tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets and were
Demonstrators were also allegedly beaten by Indonesian police, leaving many injured.
The National Committee of West Papua organised the anniversary marches, the largest being in Jayapura with protests also extending to Jakarta and Makassar.
Human rights' defenders who witnessed the protests say while all of the demonstrators were closely monitored by police, the force's dispersal of violence in several locations remains a serious concern among the bigger issue of the violation of participants' rights to express their opinions peacefully.
Seven West Papua National Committee members were reported to have sustained serious injuries as a result of the actions of police towards disrupting the demonstrations in Sentani, an administrative district just outside of Jayapura.
Several students from Cenderawasih University in the territory's largest city were also injured as police forcibly dispersed their demonstration.
One National Committee member of West Papua located in Makassar was reportedly struck separately by a wire arrow fired by a member of an alleged community-based militia group.
Demonstrations in several parts of the West Papuan territory were reported to have proceeded well, with no initial reports of violence or dispersion in the main centres of Merauke, Yahukimo, Wamena, Sorong, Manokwari and Timika.
A serious incident reportedly occured at a police station in Nabire on the northwest coast of the island, where protesters were said to be subject to torture amid a military siege in the town of nearly 100,000 people.
Police reportedly arrested the West Papuan activists and students two days before the anniversary in Nabire after they were spotted distributing flyers to promote a peaceful demonstration in the district, drawing a terse response from an international solidarity and advocacy network supporting West Papuan self-determination and independence.
"The Merdeka West Papua Support Network stands in solidarity with the people of West Papua in asserting their rights for West Papua's freedom and self-determination," a statement read.
"The violence against West Papuans in the protest (on Saturday) adds to the impunity and the crimes of the Indonesian government that has been ongoing for decades."
The protests of the anniversary almost coincided with Indonesian Independence Day, which was held just two days later.
The Merdeka West Papua Support Network demanded the immediate release of those arrested during the weekend's protests, swiftly holding Indonesian security forces, which includes its military, accountable for the alleged brutality.
"Without a global assertion for the recognition of the (West Papuan) right to self-determination, and without correcting the historical injustice against the West Papuan people from the New York agreement and the Act of Free Choice vote, we will be idle watchers to the occupation, racial discrimination, violent repression, human rights violation, and environmental destruction of West Papua and its peoples," they said.
The New York agreement arranged for the United Nations to temporarily administer the territory before transferring the administration to Indonesia.
The Netherlands had intended to hand West Papuans their full independence similar to the Dutch doing so for Indonesia in 1949.
The Act of Free Choice, which took place in 1969, was supposed to see people of the West Papuan territory determine whether they wanted to remain with Indonesia or go alone as a separate sovereign state.
It was found the agreement lacked any genuine consultation with West Papuan people.
The UN administration ended on May 1, 1963 when Indonesia assumed administration.
Rather than being a one-person-one-vote referendum, Indonesia carefully selected representatives through local councils participating, ensuring the territory remained a part of Indonesia in a process which has since become highly controversial among supporters for West Papuan independence.
