Indonesia starts restoring internet access in Papua, as it detains top human rights lawyer
- Indonesia has clamped down on two weeks of mass protests in Papua by sending in extra troops and blocking internet access
- Police have also detained Papuan rights activist Veronica Koman, after she shared a video of police tear-gassing students
A low-level insurgency against Indonesian control has simmered for decades in Papua, the country’s easternmost territory, and Jakarta has responded to the recent deadly riots by flooding the region with thousands of extra security personnel.
The government said the block was intended to stop what it described as a flood of hoaxes and provocative comments about Papuans that were stoking unrest.
Late on Wednesday, the government said it had started lifting the blockade – slammed by media and free speech advocates – in some 29 of 42 districts across the mountainous, jungle-covered region.
“The security situation in some areas is recovering and the spread of fake news and provocative, hateful commentary related to Papua is also declining,” the communications ministry said. “The government will keep monitoring developments in areas where data services are still blocked.”
“I encourage the authorities to engage in dialogue with the people of Papua … on their aspirations and concerns, as well as to restore internet services and refrain from any excessive use of force,” she said in a statement.