13 Oct 2011

Indonesia president urges punishment for fatal Papua shooting

10:44 am on 13 October 2011

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has demanded that punishments be handed down to police and other law enforcers who fired shots that killed one protestor linked to a strike in Papua .

His spokesperson told the Jakarta Post that those who breached procedures must be punished.

During the protest, police fired at demonstrators, killing Petrus Ayamseba, an employee of a firm that provides food for workers of the Freeport mine in Timika.

Since mid-September, Freeport has been hit by a strike by thousands of workers who have vowed to continue their action for better pay for a second month.

Amnesty International has urged the government to investigate the shooting and use of live ammunition which it said was completely unnecessary and unacceptable.