THE sun had not even set on the western horizon as scores of PT Freeport Indonesia employees lined up to board a company bus on Friday last week. There was no talk or light banter. “They said to just wait for your turn, anybody’s bus could be fired on,” said one of the employees as they passed by carrying a backpack, readying to return home to Tembagapura.

For almost two months, the route between Timika and Tembagapura, Papua, has been in