The joint TNI and Polri team succeeded in destroying the headquarters of the Papuan Separatist Terrorist Group (KST) in Yakuhimo. Appreciation deserves to be given to the security forces who continue to strive to eradicate and even destroy the headquarters of this separatist group, in order to protect the community and create peace in the Papua region.
The development of public facilities in Papua is increasingly being hampered due to the actions of the Papuan Terrorist Separatist Group (KST). Finally, KST Papua ambushed five health workers (Nakes) at the Amuma Community Health Center, Yakuhimo, Papua. The identities of the five victims are Ferdinandus Suweni (FS), Adrianus Erdwarder Harapan (AEH), Sandi Ransa (SR), Danur Widuran (DR), and Angganita Mandowen (AM).
Carrying sharp weapons, such as bows, axes, machetes, and even firearms, KST Papua members damaged the Amuma Community Health Center office. After successfully entering, KST Papua members checked the identities of the health workers, even holding a gun and stabbing one of the health workers, namely AEH, who tried to escape. However, after the security forces arrived, KST Papua fled into the forest. Five health workers were evacuated and taken to Dekai, Yakuhimo for treatment.
The Regent of Yahukimo, Didimus Yahuli, spoke out regarding the abuse of five health workers that occurred in Amuma District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua. Regent Didimus stated that the perpetrators who attacked the Amuma Community Health Center were members of KST Papua, but were not native Amuma residents. This is because one of the health workers said that the Papuan KST member who attacked him had claimed to be part of the Silimo Kodap XVI Battalion. Regent Didimus admitted that he was very disappointed with the incident of abuse of health workers. The reason is, the arrival of the five health workers was for a noble purpose, namely providing health services to local residents.
KST Papua’s terror actions are considered increasingly violent. Before the attack on the Amuma Community Health Center, KST Papua also attacked workers at the Head Water Community Health Center, Puncak Regency, Papua in mid-October. Based on claims by KST Papua Kodap XVI Yahukimo, the attack resulted in one worker being killed, two people in critical condition. Meanwhile, 19 other workers were reported safe. Not only Puskesmas workers, KST Papua’s brutality has repeatedly targeted civilians in Yahukimo Regency, Mountainous Papua, and Puncak Regency, Central Papua.
Previously, KST Papua also alleged that among the gold panners in the Kali I mining area, Seradala District, Yahukimo Regency, Mountainous Papua, there were undercover TNI/Polri intelligence officers. This accusation ultimately triggered attacks on civilians at the mining site. This claim was made by KST Papua members who were involved in the attack on the scene. The incident was recorded in a video distributed via social media. In this incident, seven people died as a result of being shot by KST Papua, while 52 gold panners were successfully evacuated.
As an effort to eradicate Papuan KST, recently the joint Indonesian National Army (TNI) – Polri troops succeeded in occupying and destroying two places that were used as headquarters for separatist terrorist groups in Keli Ei, and in Kali Brasa in Seredala District, in Yahukimo Regency, Mountainous Papua. Head of the Cartenz 2023 Peace Operations Task Force, Senior Commissioner (Kombes), Faizal Ramadhani, said that the two headquarters locations had been used as hiding places for separatist kingpins led by Elkius Kobak.
In this joint operation, the joint TNI-Polri troops failed to find the leader of the armed kingpin. However, with the firm actions of the TNI/Polri, the movement of members of security disturbance groups in Papua will continue to be restricted from time to time. Apart from that, a number of pieces of evidence of separatist activities have been found during the destruction operation. These include traditional weapons, several light weapons and communications equipment, as well as several gallons of diesel fuel, as well as camouflaged clothing. The Cartenz 2023 Peace Operation Task Force team also found evidence in the form of ampoule bottles, as well as medicines which were thought to be the result of confiscation carried out by KST Papua at the Puskesmas in Yahukimo some time ago.
For your information, with the occupation of two Papuan KST headquarters in Yahukimo, to date several Papuan KST hiding locations have been successfully occupied and secured by armed security forces. In a previous raid in Serambakon District, Bintang Mountains Regency, TNI-Polri soldiers were forced to shoot dead five Papuan KST members who were at that location.
The five Papuan KKB members fired shots at TNI-Polri soldiers. However, when return fire was fired, five KST Papua members who were at the headquarters were all killed by bullets. After the firefight, all KST Papua members were evacuated to the local hospital. After that, the bodies of the five Papuan KST members were handed over to the government for burial.
Until now, terrorist separatist groups in Papua continue to carry out anarchist actions, both against security forces and civilians. This armed group carries out criminal acts at will. They shot anyone they deemed inconsistent with them. KST Papua often states that the civilians who were killed were people suspected of being intelligence officers or collaborating with TNI-Polri soldiers. For this reason, the KST Papua terror act must be stopped immediately so that a safe situation can be realized throughout the Papua region, and development to encourage the welfare of the Papuan people can continue.