Wamena is the capital town of the Jayawijaya Regency of Indonesia. It is the largest town in Indonesian Papua’s highlands.

Wamena saw violent unrest on September 23 as a mob, set hundreds of buildings, including shophouses and government offices, and cars on fire and attacked other residents with weapons.

The turmoil, which the government estimated to have caused material losses amounting to RP 479.5 billion (US$33.8 million), claimed the lives of at least 33 people, and injured at least 76 others, according to authorities.

The Papua Police Regional Public Relations, Kombes AM Kamal in Jayapura said 224 vehicles were scorched, 150 motorcycles, 465 shops and 165 houses burnt. Along-with this 5 offices were burned and 15 others buildings were severely damaged.

As of Sunday, about 1,726 residents were still staying at a number of evacuation sites, while another 15,544 had left Wamena for other cities across the country after the riots, the Social Ministry said.

On 27 October, Wamena Airport was full of refugees who chose to go to another city to take shelter. This is also a concern of the Regent of Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, Hendrajoni, he would take home all Minang migrants in the Wamena area in Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Province. There are at least 327 families from West Sumatra residing in Jayawijaya, the majority are residents of South Pesisir Regency. When this conflict occurred last Monday, 9 residents from Pesisir Selatan were reported deceased, then 8 of them had been returned to their hometown for burial.