It’s difficult to know what goes on in the province of Papua but some information does get out from time to time. Two recent events shed some light on the situation there.

Associated Press reports a clash occured between police and Papuans that killed two. A mob of about 200 indigenous Papuans attacked police and prosecutors after hearing they planned to detain David Hubi, a district chief who has evaded a summons for trial six times.

Police opened fire on the crowd after they were attacked with arrows, daggers and other traditional weapons, Kartono said. Police were holding 111 men and 28 women in detention at a local police station.

Meanwhile another report says that Siti Pandera Wainggai, mother of one of the 42 Papuan refugees that recently were granted asylum in Australia, claims that she was coerced into pleading for her daughter’s return by Indonesian authorities.

Her mother told ABC TV’s Lateline program that she was offered bribes and threatened with death if she did not appear on Indonesian television appealing for her daughter’s return. Mrs Wainggai says she then fled Indonesia to Papua New Guinea after getting death threats from Indonesian intelligence agents.

I have been followed by certain people who have been paid to to kill me, and I was forced to do certain things they wanted me to do.

she said.

Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda has answered a question about allegations of coercion by Ms Wainggai by saying that Indonesia is waiting to receive a direct request from her for help in reuniting her with Anike.

When told that Ms Wainggai says she wants to join her daughter in Australia, Mr Wirajuda said:

I cannot say anything about it since we are not in contact yet with the mother.

Until now, Indonesia’s Government has consistently maintained that Mrs Wanggai is still in Indonesia.