It was on Wednesday protesters and police rallied in Deiyay in the Indonesian province of West Papua. An on-site witness who wants to remain anonymous tells al-Jazeera that at least six people were killed, and information on the number of deaths varies widely depending on sources.

The police confirm so far that three people have been killed. According to Reuters, Ahmad Kamal, spokesman for the Papua police, said two protesters and one soldier were killed. According to Kamal, one of the protesters must have been shot dead and another killed by an arrow. According to Kamal, five people must also have been injured.

"Civilians have been killed, but it is still unclear how many victims this is about," Hengky Pigai, Deputy Mayor of Deiyai, told Reuters.

Blocked internet

The protests on West Papua have been going on for a week and were triggered by reports of Papuan students being subjected to racist abuse in the city of Surabya on the island of Java. Demonstrators have, among other things, set fire to buildings and blocked roads.

Since the protests started a week ago, the authorities have blocked the internet in the region and it makes it difficult to verify what is actually happening on the site.

The government says that the internet is blocked to prevent the spread of fake news, while critics say that the blocking means that West Papuans are excluded from international contacts and cannot convey their stories about what is happening on the spot.

Amnesty: Investigate the deaths

Wednesday's deaths in connection with the protests have so far received very little space in Indonesian media. West Papua is rich in natural resources but at the same time one of the least developed parts of the country and groups in West Papua have long been fighting for independence from Indonesia.

Usman Hamid, chairman of Amnesty International in Indonesia, now demands that both the government and the police investigate the deaths in connection with the protests.