By : Andri Manalu*)
In the last few months, the Papuan Separatist Terrorist Group (KST) has increasingly terrorized and carried out brutal actions against security forces, indigenous people and migrants in various regions of Papua. They not only confiscated weapons belonging to officers and residents’ property, but also damaged and burned various public facilities built by the government. They don’t even hesitate to kill anyone in front of their eyes while carrying out their actions.
On the commemoration of Heroes’ Day, the Mobile Pamtas Task Force Yonif Raider 300/BJW was involved in a firefight with KST in the Tanah Merah area, Gome District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province. Head of Information for the Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III, Colonel Czi Gusti Nyoman Suriastawa, said that this firefight occurred after TNI personnel received information from the public about the whereabouts of six suspicious people in Tanah Merah Gome.
Based on this information, personnel from the Mobile Pamtas Task Force Yonif Raider 300/BJW went to Honai to check on the six residents, but when the personnel approached, the six residents who were suspected to be members of KST Papua, shot personnel from the Mobile Pamtas Task Force Yonif Raider 300/BJW.
After this action, the Papua Police confirmed that there were people in Puncak Regency who had fled after the KST disturbances. A total of 200 residents from the villages of Jenggernok, Wako, Ninggabuma, Agiyome, Upaga, Gome, Jonggong Golawi, Kilanungin, Misimaga, and Tigibalok, evacuated while being escorted and received directly by TNI-Polri officers from the Puncak Police and the Mobile Security Task Force Battalion R 300/BJW .
Head of Public Relations of the Papua Regional Police, Kombes.Pol. Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo explained that the residents were directed to protect themselves at the Bethel Jenggernok and Honai-Honai Churches around Gome District, accompanied by the Head of the Puncak Regency Big Tribe, Mr. Pius Abelom Kogoya, along with other village heads. This is because the geographical conditions and distance of the police station are quite far.
However, this situation did not last long, after several hours the people felt safe, they were able to return to their homes after the TNI-Polri officers provided security guarantees in Puncak Regency.
Not only that, security forces also distributed food to the community so they could use it when they arrived at their homes. Until now, the situation in Puncak Regency is gradually becoming more conducive with tight security throughout the area.
He stated that this was a priority of good synergy and quick action from the TNI-Polri apparatus as well as the support of tribal and village heads which contributed to stabilizing the security situation in the Puncak Regency area.
Previously, the Mobile Pamtas Task Force Yonif Raider 300/Bjw managed to shoot dead a KST member who was suspected of being involved in the attack on workers at the Puskesmas construction project in Puncak, Papua Mountains.
Kaskogabwilhan III Marsma TNI Deni Hasoloan Simanjuntak explained that the chase which ended in shooting occurred after his party received a report from the Ilaga Airport Post about 6 people suspected of being KKB. After the Mobile Civil Service Task Force checked the place where the KST member was shot, it was seen that there were only bloodstains remaining and some equipment scattered as evidence.
The evidence is 1 drone, 1 air rifle butt, 1 HT Icom type IC-V8, 1 HT Baopeng, 1 set of laser scopes for weapons, 3 Android cellphones, types Advan and Smart Fren, Cross, 4 cellphones, and 12 photo of the fruit. One KST member is known to have carried out terror and attacked workers at the Omukia Health Center construction project using arrows, in Puncak Regency.
Meanwhile, the construction of public facilities in Papua is also increasingly being hampered due to KST’s actions. Finally, KST attacked community health center workers in Head Water, Puncak Regency, Papua. The attack resulted in one worker being killed, two people in critical condition. Meanwhile, 19 other workers were reported safe.
KST always argued that the victims they attacked had TNI-Polri intelligence in disguise. In fact, this accusation triggered attacks on civilians in every terror location.
KST, which has committed atrocities repeatedly, must be destroyed as soon as possible. Because they always suspect that someone is a spy, even though he is just an ordinary civilian. They also threaten Papua’s development. So its existence is even more disturbing. The authorities must roll them up completely, by the roots, so that the Papuan people are safe and peaceful.
The perpetrators must be able to be pursued, arrested and prosecuted as quickly as possible. All problems related to KST Papua should also be able to be resolved through the realm of firm law enforcement, as is the approach to dealing with security problems in Bumi Cenderawasih.
The presence of security forces this time must really be able to chase down the perpetrators and the presence of military force should also be when an incident like this occurs, not only as an aid, but actually dispatched and deployed to hunt down the perpetrators. Because with very strong and fast decisive action from the security forces, it is of course hoped that the situation and conditions in Papua can return to a conducive condition after the loss of life among civilians who were shot dead as a result of the heinous actions of KST Papua.
*) The author is a Papuan student living in Yogyakarta
