By: Edward Krei )*
Monday, August 12, 2019 in the afternoon at around 17:30 CEST, Brigadier Hedar was found dead after being held hostage by the Papuan KKB Armed Criminal Group. Previously the deceased had been taken hostage and then killed while trying to escape.
Head of Papua Police Public Relations, Commissioner Pol AM Kamal said, the incident began on Monday afternoon at around 11:00 CET. At that time, Brigadier Hedar and Bripka Alfonso were carrying out investigative tasks in the Puncak District area on a motorcycle.
When passing through the village of Usir, Brigadier Hedar was called by his friend who was a local resident so that Bripka Alfonso stopped his vehicle. Brigadier Hedar approached his friend, while Bripka Alfonso waited on the motorbike.
When Brigadier Hedar talked with his friend, suddenly a group of people came and immediately ambushed Brigadier Heidar. Knowing this, Bripka Alfonso immediately reported the incident to the police post in Kago, Puncak Regency.
According to Commissioner Kamal Pol, it has coordinated with the TNI to approach the community leaders in Puncak District.
Kamal also told that before the corpse of Brigadier Hedar was discovered, the Puncak Regency Government and Puncak Jaya Regional Police had a chance to negotiate with KKB led by Talekgen Lekagak.
He also said that the body of the First Brigadier Hedar was found not far from the location of the hostage, namely the expelled village. It is known that Brigadier Hedar suffered a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
Defense Minister (Defense) Ryamizard Ryacudu said that the assassin of Papua Police Brigadier Heidar was not an Armed Criminal group but a rebel who had to be crushed and beaten.
Therefore, he said, the government must not remain silent and must carry out operations that could eradicate the group he called the rebel group.
In fact, the former Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) said, if the government through the TNI / Polri could not quell the rebels, then he would jump right in.
He stated, members who died were given an extraordinary promotion one notch higher. Papua Police Chief Inspector General Rudolf Rodja confirmed that the bodies of his members had been found and were currently evacuated to the Ilaga Health Center.
The Head of the Public Information Bureau of the Police Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo, said that Hedar died after being shot by an armed group member. Hedar was also taken hostage while conducting an investigation in Puncak District.
Dedi suspected that the KKB used rifles to kill Hedar’s life. The Peak Area according to Dedi is one of the gathering places for members of the Armed Group. In addition, he also said there were still 2 more vulnerable points, namely Timika and Paniai.
The KKB crime also happened before, where a number of TNI soldiers who were resting in the Nduga Regency area were attacked by the Egianus Kogoya leadership group. As a result of the attack one of the members of the Indonesian military died in Nduga.
XVII / Cenderawasih Military Command Head Colonel Inf M Aidi said a TNI member named Prada Asuman Hambelo died in the tragedy due to a gunshot wound to the waist.
We have to admit that the attacks that occurred on the Peak of Papua include the dishonorable attacks that have taken place in recent years. This shows an increase in resistance qualitatively from the separatist organization.
This incident can certainly be crowned as a national crisis, where when the country is struggling to build from the periphery, there are still groups of people who launch attacks on the authorities.
The shooting action that has been launched by the KKB has become a serious threat to the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia and the progress of the development program in Papua that is being promoted by the government.
The problem of the circulation of illegal weapons used by irresponsible people, naturally becomes a homework for Indonesian intelligence. this certainly must be investigated from where its origin. Smuggling weapons is very easy. As if easily obtained by military standard weapons everywhere.
The government certainly cannot remain silent and should not be afraid of the threats that exist, development in Papua must continue to run with tighter security.
)* The writer is a Papuan student, living in Jakarta