Jakarta, Nov 15 (AFP) An Indonesian policeman was shotdead and another was seriously wounded near a giant US-ownedcopper and gold mine today, authorities said, the latest in astring of shootings in restive Papua province.
The killing comes as police and armed separatists arelocked in a standoff near Freeport-McMoRan's mine, one of theworld's biggest, with both sides blaming each other for whatpolice have claimed was a hostage crisis.
Local authorities said unidentified gunman opened fire ona police patrol near the vast Grasberg mine in the earlymorning hours on Wednesday, following reports that a Freeportemployee had been shot in the thigh on Tuesday.
"The gunmen started shooting at the patrolling officersfrom behind before dawn. It was pitch black so we did not seewho the shooters were," Papua police spokesman Suryadi Diaztold AFP.
One officer died at the scene while another was shot inthe back, suffering severe injuries, Diaz added.
Papua has faced a low-level insurgency since it wasannexed by Indonesia in the late sixties.
Freeport's mine is frequently a flashpoint in thestruggle for independence and a bigger share of the region'srich resources.
Police said they suspected Wednesday's shooters were fromthe same separatist group who they claimed have keeping some1,300 residents in some nearby villages against their will.
Authorities claim residents have been prevented fromentering or leaving their small communities since the standofferupted this week.
"Their motive has been pretty clear since the beginning-- they believe they own the rich land where a big company isoperating, but they are still poor and aren't getting justiceso they want to disrupt Freeport's business," Diaz said.
"We are still trying to negotiate. But it seems unlikelyat this point. They (the separatists) are not even willing tosend anyone to talk to us," he added.
A spokesman for the activist group, linked to the FreePapua independence movement, could not be immediately reached.
But the group and an official at Indonesia's human rightsbody have previously disputed the police account, saying thegunmen were not holding locals hostage but rather, protectingresidents from the police and military.
A security source has told AFP that control over gold-panning operations in the area was behind the standoff.
The region is generally off limits to foreignjournalists, making it difficult to verify the conflictingaccounts.(AFP)AMS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.