2) Indonesia evacuates mining workers in Papua after armed attack
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The incident occurred in Nabire Regency in Central Papua, where armed assailants stormed vehicles and a security post belonging to mining firm Kristalin Eka Lestari on Saturday, killing two people. Police said the attackers were linked to a militia wing of the Free Papua Movement led by Aibon Kogoya.
“We are still evacuating all employees from the mining area, including 26 Chinese citizens,” Nabire police chief Samuel Tatiratu said. He added that a day earlier, authorities had already rescued 75 people, including informal gold miners, from the Musairo River area.
Witnesses said a vehicle carrying company staff was fired upon by three gunmen armed with long-barreled rifles before the security post was attacked. Two passengers, Ihzan Fahrudi and Riski, managed to escape unharmed.
A worker from South Sulawesi told local media he came under fire while at the security post.
“I was the first to be shot at. I ran and jumped into the river,” said the man, who declined to be named. Two of his colleagues were still inside the post when the attack occurred, though police have not confirmed whether they were among the victims.
Separatist violence has persisted for decades in Papua, one of Indonesia’s poorest regions despite its vast natural resources. The area is home to one of the world’s largest gold and copper mines operated by Freeport Indonesia.
Deadly attacks targeting security forces, construction workers, and even teachers and healthcare staff continue to occur sporadically, underscoring the fragile security situation.
The previous government under President Joko Widodo poured hundreds of trillions of rupiah into roads and logistics infrastructure over the past decade to improve connectivity and spread economic gains across Papua. But ongoing insecurity, local corruption, and weak oversight have slowed progress.
Jakarta has since split Papua from two into six provinces in a bid to improve coordination and accelerate development. Still, the latest violence highlights that security and political stability in the region remain far from fully restored.
Nabire Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Samuel Tatiratu said the evacuation was launched after an attack led by Aibon Kogoya’s armed criminal group (KKB), which killed two people.
“We are currently trying to evacuate employees, including 26 Chinese nationals, from the mining site,” he told state news agency Antara on Sunday.
Tatiratu added that search operations are underway along the Musairo River, with around 75 people already evacuated on Saturday, February 21. He emphasized the evacuation aims to prevent further security threats.
Authorities are still working to identify one of the victims, with autopsy results pending at Nabire Regional Hospital. “I have not yet received a report on the autopsy results for the body found at the PT Kristalin post,” Tatiratu said.
PT Kristalin management expressed regret over the attack, which included the burning of a public order and security post near the Kali Musairo SP1 Lagari Dam.
Deputy Director Teguh Arief Herlambang confirmed the incident occurred Saturday afternoon, between 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., and stressed that the location was outside the company’s area.
Translator: Evarukdijati, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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