Hundreds of students and other civilians protested in Jayapura, Papua province, demanding that Indonesia withdraw military personnel from all six Papuan provinces after a recent military operation allegedly killed 15 people, including women and children, Reuters reported on April 27. Law enforcement used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds after some protestors threw rocks, injuring five police personnel.

The protest follows a military operation in early April against armed Papuan separatists, whose insurgency has persisted at a low level of intensity for decades. An Indonesian human rights watchdog confirmed the 15 deaths later in the month, though the military has not acknowledged the allegations.