REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SORONG — Authorities had decided to close all schools in Sorong, West Papua Province on Monday (August 26). The school activities must be temporarily closes, as an anticipation of a demonstration which will be held again in the city. 

Acoording to information, all students from elementary schools to high schools in Sorong were sent home. There was concern that the demonstration could turn into riots again. 

Many streets in Sorong were reportedly very quiet. In addition, only a few public transportations that operated on this day and it caused many students should walk to reach their home. 

One of students at 2 State High School in Sorong, namely Agus said his school was closed due to demonstration. As he arrived at school, his teacher asked students to go home. 

“They are afraid of riots, just like incident on August 19,” said Agus. 

Niko, a teacher at 5 Junior High School in Sorong said the school is closed due to fear of demonstrations could turn into riots. Not only schools, but many shops and stores in Sorong are closed today. Meanwhile, there are security forces, which consist of Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel and National Police officers on a number of main streets in the city. 

A week ago, on August 19, rioting broke out in a number of regions in West Papua, started from Manokwari, Sorong, and Papua’s capital of Jayapura. The local people comprising protested against the recent case of racial abuse of Papuan students in East Java. 

The protesters also blocked a number of major streets in the city and also cutting down trees to be used as barricades. West Papua Regional Legislative Council building in the city was also set on fire and tires were burned on the roads.

The protests then spreaded to other cities in Papua, namely South Sorong, Merauke, Fakfak, and Biak on Tuesday (August 20). People in those regions called for an end to the racist abuse of Papuans. 

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