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Papua was wracked with tension on Monday after an early-morning ambush by suspected separatists in Abepura district left four people dead, including an army officer.

The attack followed weekend clashes between supporters of two local politicians in Puncak Papua district that left 17 dead.

Jayapura Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Imam Setiawan was quick to blame the Free Papua Movement (OPM) for the 3 a.m. attack in which unidentified assailants sprayed a small bus with bullets as it passed through Nafri village.

The attackers then reportedly chased down the panicked passengers with machetes and axes.

At least four people, including an army officer identified as First Pvt. Dominikus Kerap, were killed in the attack and dozens more were injured.

In Jakarta, meanwhile, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said that 16 OPM members were also believed to have been engaged in a firefight with police in Panai district on Friday.

Forkorus Yoboisembut, chairman of the Papua Traditional Council (DAP), however, claimed that there was more to the incident than met the eye.

“This could be the work of people who do not want to see stability in Papua,” he told the Jakarta Globe. “Mysterious shootings always occur ahead of peaceful demonstrations.”

He was referring to rallies that were planned for today in Jayapura, Jakarta and other cities in Papua and West Papua to support a pro-independence discussion being held in Oxford, England. The meeting is organized by the Free West Papua Campaign and International Lawyers for West Papua.

The DAP says that nearly every pro-independence event in Papua, like the anniversary of the killing of Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay and the Dec. 1 anniversary of the OPM, has been preceded by acts of violence.

Mysterious shootings also occurred during last month’s strike by workers from the local unit of US mining giant Freeport McMoRan.

Military officers and civilians were reported killed in Puncak Jaya district, 600 kilometers from Freeport’s lucrative Grasberg open pit mine, during the incidents.

“The security forces have never fully investigated these incidents,” DAP spokesman Markus Haluk said. “Just as people begin to ask questions about one incident, another one occurs.”

Benny Giay, a member of the Papua Presidium Council, said that for the past few weeks text messages had been sent to pro-independence leaders and human rights advocates threatening them not to go ahead with today’s rally.

“We shall go ahead with this demonstration. This rally is the only way the voices of the people of Papua will be heard,” he said.

“I urge everyone who participates in the protest to be peaceful and not provoke any reaction from security personnel.”