By: Rebecca Marian)*
The terrorist acts of the Papuan Separatist and Terrorist Groups (KST) have harmed the civil society of the earth of Cendawasih. This violence not only caused many civilians to lose their lives, but also traumatized the victims and their families.
KST tarnished the name of Papua because it created an image that the region was not safe. This can be detrimental because it adversely affects the tourism sector to investment. In addition, civil society is also disadvantaged because when there is KST, they are not free to do activities outside their homes. Many are afraid of being hit by stray bullets and becoming victims because of the arrival of the rebel group.
Rocky, a conflict observer from the Menara Institute Papua, stated that it was time for the government to ensure security in Papua, considering that the local community was greatly harmed when KST acted. Every action taken will certainly have an impact on air transportation services and delays in logistics distribution, one of which is in Kenyam. This is detrimental to the community because of the minimal supply of food ingredients.
Rocky continued, Papua must be free from KSP terror so that development and the economy can run well. Security at Kenyam Airport must also be increased because it is a logistics transportation center in Nduga. This must also be done at other airports such as in Nabire, Wamena, and so on.
The terror carried out by KST is clearly detrimental from an economic point of view and the people are the victims. Imagine if there is a lack of food supplies, then they suffer from hunger. The geographical condition of Papua, which is partly hilly and mountainous, does depend on air transportation, so that if services at the airport are disrupted because of KST, the people will suffer the most.
In addition, Papuans who work as traders are also disadvantaged because the supply of groceries from other areas is hampered. The business has stalled because the demand for goods is high while the stock runs out. This will have a negative effect because traders might lose disappointed buyers.
If there is a KST attack in mainland Papua, the community will also be harmed because their activities are disrupted. The traders are afraid to sell in the market, as a result the wheels of the economy are not running. In fact, this is very dangerous because it will be detrimental to the trader and to the Papuan economy, because there is no circulation of money.
During the month of June, KST has taken 5 actions in Papua. These include the attack on a motorcycle taxi driver in Ilaga District, the shooting down of a plane at Kenyam Airport, Nduga Regency, and the attack on the police in Jayawijaya Regency. KST is also a fugitive for carrying out an attack at the Kiwirok Ramil Post, and shooting a trader in Deiyai Regency.
If there are continuous attacks then there will be a lot of losses suffered by the community. Apart from the economic side, there are also psychological losses. People are afraid to just leave their houses because they are traumatized by the sound of gunshots and do not want to be hit by stray bullets. They had negative thoughts because of the KST attack.
Therefore, KST must be eradicated so as not to harm civil society. The people greatly appreciate the steps taken by the Cartenz Peace Task Force which diligently and bravely pursued and arrested KST members. They want KST to be immediately annihilated so that Papua becomes a peaceful area.
The terror perpetrated by KST is very detrimental to society, especially from an economic perspective. Therefore, KST must be eradicated so as not to cause large losses in the future.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Jakarta
