By: Abner Wanggai )*
Riot and anarchic actions will harm all parties. Likewise the riots in Wamena, Papua, have resulted in losses to the community and local government. Let us be grateful that the situation in Wamena has been gradually conducive and safe.
Today the people of Wamena City have begun to carry out activities as usual and no longer need to worry about events that occurred after the riots on Monday 24 September 2019 which resulted in fatalities and damage to several buildings.
The handling of the riots carried out by the apparatus and officers quickly and appropriately had a positive impact that the residents of Wamena could feel in accordance with a statement made by the Local Regional Police Officer through the Head of the Papua Police Public Relations Commander AM Kamal Polomb in Jayapura City that “At 15:00 CET, the situation in Wamena starting conducive, “, Monday (09/23/2019).
All officers and apparatus in the area and at the center make every effort to restore the situation and conditions of Wamena City to be safe as before, there have been several efforts undertaken such as providing evacuation facilities and security carried out by the combined apparatuses of the local TNI-Polri.
All local officials, community leaders, and traditional leaders really want the City of Wamena to always be peaceful and prosperous without any divisions and riots for which the community is urged to be able to control emotions and not be provoked into action because of the issue of hoaxes that arise in the community.
Until now there are residents who have temporarily evacuated to places provided by the Kodim, Polres, Battalions, Churches and other Agencies that can be used to secure themselves and take shelter. Military District Command Commander 1702 / Jayawijaya Lt. Col. Inf. Candra Divanto, Tuesday (9/24/2019) said that the community could carry out security in their respective areas and there were several places that could be used as temporary refugees such as TNI-Polri Offices or Headquarters and Worship Houses,
Jayawijaya Regent Jhon Richard Banua asked his citizens to stay calm and hold back. Not consumed and incited by issues and information that cannot be accounted for “Regarding refugees, we are working with security to keep the situation going so that it is conducive to return,” he said as quoted between Tuesday (9/24/2019)
Until now the joint TNI-Polri apparatus will work on alert and secure the location 24 hours a day, Rodja also said the police had met the teacher and confirmed that he had never issued racist words. He made sure the teacher who said racist was incorrect and that it was only an issue. Therefore, he hoped that the people and in the Land of Papua would not be provoked by hoax news or news that was not necessarily true.
To anticipate the issue of hoaxes and misleading information that is widespread and massive that could trigger riots, the government quickly decided to slow down and limit internet connections in the region.
In a written statement received by Kompas.com, Monday (9/23/2019) Acting Head of the Public Relations Bureau of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Ferdinandus Setu said, the restrictions were carried out starting Monday at 12:30 Eastern Indonesia Time (WIT).
It is expected that after this incident there will be no more similar incidents that occurred in Wamena City in particular and in other cities in Indonesia. Joint Indonesian National Armed Forces officers have worked hard and will continue to stand by 24 hours for the safety of the people of Wamena and create a conducive city of Wamena. The community should be able to hold back and not be provoked because a lot of the triggers of the riots caused by hoax or hoax news given the riots that occur only cause harm and problems in the community.
*) The writer is a Papuan student, living in Jakarta