Jayapura, Jubi – The Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) in Bali City on Saturday, April 1, 2023, failed to hold a peaceful protest after it was blocked and attacked by the Patriot Garuda Nusantara (PGN) mass organization. The PGN held them in the campus area of Udayana University.
AMP Action Coordinator Herry Meaga in a written statement said the protest was about to take place at the Jendral Sudirman Roundabout, Denpasar. “However, we were blocked by the mass organization standby at the exit of the Faculty of Tourism,” Meaga said.
According to Meaga, a number of people suspected of intelligence monitored the gathering point of the protesting students.. “The mass organization was already on standby in front of Daut Puri Klod Street, where the gathering point of our students was,” he said.
Meaga said his party had negotiated with a number of PGN coordinators in front of the Faculty of Tourism so they could continue their rally.
“We finally directed the students to retreat, because the mass organization continued to hit and pelt us with bottles, stones, and hot sauce. Some of our friends were hit in the eyes with hot sauce. We returned to the gathering point because they kept throwing stones at us students,” he said.
Meaga said a number of protesters were injured by blows. The victims included Wemi, Gabi and Yohanes (hit by a stone on their heads), Bolikam (toe injured by bamboo), Erik W (foot hit by a stone), Paman (foot hit by a stone), Kepno (leg hit by a stone and got a punch), Mote (irritation due to being thrown hot sauce), Tapo (hand bruised by a wooden punch), Ampix (back of the body bruised by a stone), Herry ((irritation due to being thrown hot sauce), and Andi (irritation due to being thrown hot sauce).
“Our posters and command ropes were also damaged, as well as our protest property in the form of a coffin that symbolizes human rights and democracy was torn up, banners were taken away,” Meaga said. (*)
