Papua separatists kill 31 workers

Separatist gunmen executed up to 31 construction workers in one of the deadliest outbreaks of violence in years in Indonesia’s Papua province. The killings reportedly started after one of the workers from a state-owned construction company photographed a rally on December 1 – a day many Papuans celebrate as the anniversary of their independence from Dutch colonial rule.
Indonesia officially annexed Papua in 1969 after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum following Dutch withdrawal. Jakarta keeps a tight grip on the province amid frequent calls for independence and separatists are often blamed for violence. The local human rights commission has urged authorities to curb violations in the restive Indonesian province.