Beware of Seven Areas Papua Vulnerable to Security Disruptions on the Upcoming Election in 2020
By: Abner Wanggai) *
Election Oversight Body (Bawaslu) has sniffed the existence of 7 regions in Papua which are prone to security disturbances in the regional head election process in 11 regencies in Bumi Cenderawasih. This was reinforced by the existence of Bawaslu notes related to the track record of 7 regions during the implementation of the previous Pilkada.
Papua became one of the regions that received close monitoring from security forces in the 2020 elections. This is because of the potential for riots / conflicts due to ethnic, religious, racial and intergroup (SARA) issues, horizontal conflicts and money politics are vulnerable in the Papua region.
Papua Bawaslu member, Ronald Manoach, said that 7 areas prone to security disturbances include the Districts of Yakuhimu, Bintang Mountains, Waropen, Nabire, Asmat, Mamberamo Raya and Yalimo.
Based on Bawaslu’s analysis, the potential for disruption in the implementation of simultaneous local elections in 11 districts is in the form of conflicts that are suspected to be the selection phase of the District Election Committee (PPD), the distribution of election logistics which is predicted to be late, to conflicts between candidates which lead to the mobilization of mass supporters.
Ronald said, in order to anticipate this, the Bawaslu Papua had prepared 595 supervisors at the district level. Later, most of the Supervisors will be placed in the Yakuhimo Regency.
He explained, the highest number of District Supervisory Committees was in three regions, namely the Yakuhimo Regency 153 supervisors, 102 Star Mountains Mountains, and 63 supervisors of Keerom Regency.
Ronald said, if his party had held a meeting with the General Election Commission (KPU) of Papua Province. The meeting discussed the matter of overseeing the stages of the election of PPD members.
It is intended that supervision of the selection of PPD member selection can proceed according to procedure and not cause conflict.
On a previous occasion, the Deputy Chief of Papua Police Brigadier General Yakobus Marjuki admitted that he was conducting a mapping of conflict-prone areas in the 2020 elections in 11 districts in Papua. A number of strategies to prevent potential security threats have also been prepared.
Until now, the Papua Regional Police Intelligence unit and its police station are still trying to approach all parties. The mapping is targeted to be completed in February 2020.
TNI Commander in Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said, to secure the implementation of the elections, the TNI had alerted personnel and main weapons systems (defense equipment) to assist the National Police in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
To prevent conflict, Interior Minister Tito Karnavian also cooperated with Bawaslu and security forces to prevent potential conflicts during the election process.
The former National Police Chief said, that vulnerable areas in Papua would certainly be analyzed, both by the security forces, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and also Bawaslu.
Tito explained that the Papua region has always been a vulnerable area when holding elections. According to him, there are 2 factors causing the vulnerability, namely the noken system and the number of voters.
He said, to overcome the problem of the turnout, the need to increase the procurement of electronic ID cards and population censuses. In addition, the government also seeks to mediate with parties who have the potential to cause conflict.
The second potential hazard is the threat of attacks from armed criminal groups (KKB). Tito said later the Ministry of Home Affairs would coordinate with security forces related to interference from the group.
On different occasions, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe hoped that the implementation of the 2020 elections in 11 regencies did not reach the stage of re-voting (PSU).
KPU chairman Theodorus Kossay urged that regional election organizers not be involved in buying and selling votes. On the other hand, the KPU also ensured that organizers in the regions did not participate in politics.
Going forward, in an effort to prevent the PSU from occurring, the KPU plans to strengthen the capacity of lower-level organizers.
Among them are capacity building before the implementation of the elections for 55 KPU members in 11 districts and their secretaries. This is done so that the potential for fraud or delinquency in the organizer can be suppressed.
Also need to know, the 11 regencies in Papua that hold the simultaneous local elections in 2020 are Nabire, Asmat, Keerom, Waropen, Merauke, Mamberamo Raya, Bintang Mountains, Boven Digul, Yakuhimo, Supiori and Yalimo Districts.
We all hope that the simultaneous local elections, especially in Papua, will run smoothly, without a hitch. Do not let dark events in the past happen again.
) * The writer is a Papuan student living in Yogyakarta
