Jakarta. With yet another shooting incident recorded on Tuesday (14/11) in Mimika, Papua, where gunmen are still besieging two villages, it is clear that provocateurs want to disturb the peace in the region, a minister said.
On Tuesday morning, armed men open fire on a vehicle owned by Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, injuring one person, state news agency Antara reported.
The wounded Freeport employee was taken to a hospital in Tembagapura district.
According to Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu, the recent series of shootings in Papua was orchestrated by groups wanting to hinder President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's infrastructure works in the province.
"There must be provocateurs. It's normal that there are people who are happy and those who aren't," he said, as quoted by Suara Pembaruan.
According to the minister, the incidents also reflect national disunity.
"We are disunited. There are parties that want to go forward, but they are blocked by others," he said.
Operations at Freeport's Grasberg mine near the attack site remain normal, Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Victor Dean Mackbon said.
Papua Police on Saturday issued a wanted list of 21 men from the armed group that cut access to 1,300 people in Banti and Kimbely villages in Tembagapura last week.
Police believe the militants are led by Sabinus Waker.