Papuans sentenced to jail over bloody protests against Freeport

An Indonesian court on Wednesday sentenced two Papuans to five and six years in jail over their roles in a bloody protest against U.S. miner Freeport last March, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.

Selvius Bobi and Elias Tamaka were found guilty of using violence against authorities or inciting others to violence during the protest in May that left six security officers dead, lawyer Iwan Niode said.

The protest and Wednesday's trial took place in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province.

On Monday the same court convicted 11 protesters to jail terms of between five and six years over their roles in the same protest.

The protest was against New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Mine Inc, which operates a massive mine in Papua province that critics say pollutes the environment and gives little benefit to local people.

It ended in a violent melee during which a frenzied mob bludgeoned to death five policemen and an airforce officer. (*)