An aid group in West Papua has reported 182 civilians have died fleeing violence in the Highlands.

But the Indonesian military remains sceptical of the figures, which come as a war between pro-independence fighters and the state shows little sign of ending.

Since December, reports from the West Papua Liberation Army and aid groups have indicated that thousands have fled the conflict centred around Nduga regency.

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Last week, the aid group Solidarity Team for Nduga said at least 182 people from the regency had died of famine and disease in displacement camps.

This is up from a July estimate of 139 deaths, and the group now estimates there are tens of thousands displaced.

Among the dead were 92 children, it said. It claimed there were more than 3,400 school children among the displaced who had been unable to resume studies.

Citing data from a church, a volunteer NGO team and testimony from displaced peoples, it estimated more than 34,000 people had fled Nduga.

Since military and police operations began in Nduga following a violent pro-independence attack, the aid group said “there have been a number of public facilities such as schools, houses of worship and auxiliary health centres, which have been damaged or burned, including homes of residents”.

But an Indonesian military spokesperson, Eko Daryanto, told the Jakarta Post the data might have been mis-interpreted.

Government figures have reportedly shown that 53 people have died in the displacement camps.

Solidarity Team for Nduga has called for the immediate withdrawal of police and military in Nduga and for the government to open access to journalists, rights groups and humanitarian workers.

• This article is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.

A relief agency says at least 139 people have died in displacement camps in the Highlands of West Papua in the past six months since clashes broke out between the Indonesian military and rebels fighting for independence.

But the Indonesian military has disputed this claim.

News reports say the conflict in Papua’s Nduga regency has killed dozens since December, forcing many more to flee for their lives.

READ MORE: Frightened and displaced, Papua children haunted by conflict

But a report by the aid group Solidarity Team for Nduga puts the number of displaced people at 5000.

The figure is in line with estimates from other rights groups.

The relief report also said this week that 139 people from Nduga had died in a displacement camp in Wamena town, mostly from disease and malnutrition.

An Indonesian military spokesperson, Muhammad Aidi, claimed the report was “a hoax” and more proof was needed.

Displaced people
The report claimed the health of displaced peoples from Nduga was deteriorating due to a lack of humanitarian supplies – especially food and medical supplies – and infectious diseases, including dysentery, which were going unchecked.

The Solidarity Team for Nduga has called on Indonesia to dismiss police and military forces from Nduga, recognise and support displaced peoples and open access to Papua to rights groups, humanitarian workers and journalists.

It said the government had failed to recognise the Nduga violence as an armed conflict, limiting aid which could be authorised under Indonesian laws.

The aid group also called on the provincial government in Papua to declare a humanitarian emergency in Nduga and form a special task force to deal with the crisis.

• This article is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.