Bar fight involving machetes, arrows leaves 19 dead in Indonesia’s Papua

One victim was stabbed and 18 more died in a blaze that was sparked by the clash at the karaoke club

Police said the incident did not involve locals from remote West Papua, where there is a long-running insurgency

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The torched karaoke bar in Sorong, West Papua province. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 4:51pm, 25 Jan 2022Updated: 7:03pm, 25 Jan 2022

At least 19 people were killed in a clash at a nightclub in the town of Sorong in Indonesia’s West Papua province, police said on Tuesday, with most dying after the venue caught fire.

One victim was stabbed and 18 more died in the blaze at the Double O nightclub, officials said.

“The clash broke out (Monday) night at 11pm. It was a prolonged conflict from a clash on Saturday,” Sorong police chief Ary Nyoto Setiawan said in a statement.

The fight that erupted between the two different ethnic groups involved machetes, arrows and Molotov cocktails, according to Ahmad Ramadhan, the Indonesian police’s spokesperson.

“The West Papua Regional Police immediately coordinated with religious and traditional leaders to avoid further clashes,” he said, adding that officials were investigating who was behind the fight and what ignited the fire.

Police said the incident did not involve locals from remote West Papua, where there is a long-running insurgency.

Policemen stand guard outside the Double O Karaoke bar which was set ablaze following a brawl in West Papua. Photo: Antara Foto via Reuters

The nightclub, a large red and white building, was left gutted by the blaze and a burnt-out vehicle was seen lying on its side by the blackened entrance.