TENSION still enveloped Timika, capital of Mimika Regency, last week. The crowd supporting pemekaran (dividing a province into small provinces) chose to gather at the Welcome Tugu, north of Timika; those who were against it remained in their main base, New Kwanki Village. Security forces stood in the middle, at the ready day and night. Members of the communities were afraid to leave at night, for fear of another confrontation.

The hostilities subs