West Papuan protesters demanding the closure of the US-owned Freeport-McMoRan gold and copper mine were attacked by police on March 16, who used tear gas and batons before firing on the crowd. Several police and protesters were killed in the clashes. The demonstrators had blocked a road to a university on the outskirts of the West Papuan capital Jayapura. Rolling protests in West Papua and Jakarta have taken place since the mine was forced to close for four days in late February when local residents blockaded access roads in defence of their right to scour discarded mine tailings. Protester Kosmos Yual told ABC News on March 16, “We want Freeport to close because it has not given any benefits to the people of Papua, in fact it’s made them suffer”.

From Green Left Weekly, March 22, 2006.
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