By: Abner Wanggai )*
A KKSB member finally surrendered himself to the authorities. He chose to side with the Republic of Indonesia because he felt he had been cheated by his leader. In addition, his conscience screamed when he launched the shooting of innocent Papuan civilians.
KKSB (armed separatist criminal group) is a group of people who often disturb the public. They fought the authorities with rifles, even dared to shoot civilians who didn’t know anything, until there were casualties. Even though these residents are both Papuan. Their cruelty earned him the hatred of the public.
However, there were KKSB members who finally repented and voluntarily surrendered themselves before a religious leader in Kampung Mbua. Accompanied by community representatives and facilitated by the apparatus, he pledged to be loyal to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia and not to be a brutal rebel anymore. His name is Tenius Tebuni.
During the surrender process, Tenius signed a statement letter leaving the KKSB and returning to the Republic of Indonesia. According to IGN Suriastawa, Head of Information at the Joint Defense Area Command III, at first Tenius was given a promise that he would be given money and daily necessities. The sweet promise was tantalizing and he was willing even if he was invited to enter the wilderness.
But unfortunately the tongue has no bones. Tenius admitted that during his time as a member of an armed separatist criminal group, he went into and out of Papua’s forests which were still young, and often starved. Because there is no food and other logistical shortages. A promise that was not kept by the commander, made him leave and finally turned around wanting to defend Indonesia.
The KKSB phenomenon is indeed complicated because apparently not all of its members want to be separatists. It could be that there are other Teniuses who were given the promise of heaven. However, when they were not fulfilled, they did not dare to surrender. They may be afraid that they will be considered traitors to the KKSB or they are afraid that they will be imprisoned. Even though they are victims and the apparatus must be wise in handling this case.
If viewed from its history, KKSB is affiliated with OPM which wants Papuan independence. In 1971 the OPM leader declared the Republic of West Papua and refused to unite with Indonesia. In fact, since 1963, Papua has officially integrated with Indonesia.
The OPM, which has the Morning Star flag, finally has troops and they are armed to continue wanting to separate Bumi Cendrawasih from Indonesia. When KKSB members are arrested, they can play the victim and seek sympathy from outsiders. Whereas the governments of other countries do not have the authority to defend them.
If there are other state organizations such as Vanatua that ask about Papuan independence, then they must not know about the history of Papua. If a region has already joined, why be separated? Moreover, OPM and KKSB are only a handful of people on Earth of Cendrawasih. In fact, Papuan civilians are loyal to the Republic of Indonesia and do not want to be separated.
They can also be shocked when they find out that a KKSB member has returned to the bosom of the Republic of Indonesia. Because instead of increasing prosperity, it adds to suffering. Who said it’s good to be rebellious? If you are not lucky, you might starve to death in the forest. Because there are no more plants to cook.
Moreover, the Pangdam Cendrawasih, Maj. Gen. herman Asaribab, invited KKSB to unite. With the aim of building Papua together. KKSB members and their sympathizers must be made aware that what they have been defending is wrong. In that sense, don’t get provoked by emotions and end up becoming a traitor of your tribal and homeland brothers.
The return of KKSB members to the motherland’s lap is proof that so far their organization is wrong. If Papua is truly independent, what else? In fact, as long as Papua has united with Indonesia, there have been many advances in infrastructure and in the economic sector. So it is hoped that other KKSB members will surrender themselves and do not mess up again.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Yogyakarta