Indonesian President calls for calm after protesters set buildings ablaze in Papua

Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for calm on Thursday after protesters in the easternmost region of Papua set fire to government buildings. The region has been racked by civil unrest for two weeks over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters are also demanding an independence vote.

Widodo said, they will take action on the perpetuators and provide security for the residents. A separatist movement has simmered for decades in Papua, while there have also been frequent complaints of rights abuses by Indonesian security forces. The spark for the latest unrest was a racist slur against Papuan students, who were hit by tear gas in their dormitory and detained in the city of Surabaya on the main island of Java on August 17, for allegedly desecrating a national flag.