By : Alfred Jigibalom )*
The actions of the Separatist and Terrorist Group ( KST ) which burned down a school in Oksibil, Papua, were criticized by many. This separatist group has proven to hinder the younger generation from moving forward. KST must be eradicated so as not to harm Papuans, especially the younger generation.
Papua has been known for its natural beauty, such as the peak of Mount Jayawijaya or Raja Ampat. But unfortunately Papua is also attached to a bad image because there is a rebel group alias KST. They are accomplices of the OPM (Free Papua Organization) who want to defect and form their own state.
One of the KST actions that was criticized by many people was the burning of a SMK in Oksibil, Gunung Bintang, Papua. This incident occurred on January 9, 2023 at 10.30 WIT.
Indeed, there were no fatalities or injuries in this incident and the material losses are still being calculated. However, the community still criticized KST for setting fire to the school and preventing native Papuans from studying.
The Commander of Korem 172/PWY, Brigadier General JO Sembiring stated that the burning of the SMK in Oksibil which was carried out by KST was the work of terrorists to create a lost generation, hindering the young generation of Papua from advancing. How can the young generation of Papua be advanced and intelligent if the place where they are studying is burned down by those who do not like seeing youth participate in developing Papua.
Brig . This is pointless, this will actually hinder development in the Land of Papua.
Papuan youth as the nation’s next generation must receive proper education and equal opportunities. Hopefully they can progress and be even better for the active role and participation of future generations.
But so far KST has been very detrimental to the community, especially when they burned down the school building. Even though schools are very important for advancing the younger generation. If the school catches fire, it’s a shame for the students because they can’t study. They had to take the day off because they were waiting for the situation to calm down from the threat of a KST attack.
Like it or not, the activities of the SMK in Oksibil were suspended for a while. Teachers certainly prioritize the safety of students from arson or KST attacks. However, the consequences are very big because young Papuans cannot study optimally if only at home. They want to study at school and can ask their teacher directly.
The young generation of Papua wants to progress with a good education. But their steps were blocked by KST. The people hate KST even more because they have the heart to burn down the school, even though the learning process is very important for their future. With a diploma, Papuan sons can have good jobs or become entrepreneurs. But the school he loved was burnt down by KST.
Moreover, the incident of burning a school is not the first time this has happened. In May 2022 KST also set fire to elementary and junior high school buildings in the Hitadipa area, Intan Jaya . The burning of schools in Oksibil and Hitadipa shows that KST has a bad plan to stop progress in Papua and they don’t want the people of Cendrawasih to be educated.
Even though education is very important, especially for the future of indigenous Papuans. They want to be smarter and master the material at school well. Papuan children have received special autonomy scholarships and are studying with enthusiasm at school. But his steps were temporarily halted by KST.
Therefore the Papuan people agree to eradicate KST because it is always detrimental. Especially when KST didn’t just burn down schools and hindered the younger generation from moving forward. However, they recruit Papuan children to become new members.
The results of an investigation from the Intan Jaya Regional Police stated that elementary school children were recruited by KST and then ‘disappeared’ and suddenly appeared to the public. But he came carrying a firearm and trying to shoot civilians.
It is suspected that the group that recruited the elementary school children was Sabius Waker and his group . They have been kidnapping elementary school children for several months and then training them to become new cadres. It was said that they kidnapped them because the parents of the elementary school children did not know that their children were being trained to become KST members.
The community condemned KST’s outrageous actions for recruiting elementary school children to become shooters and rebels. Even though the students who were taken were elementary school students, aka school dropouts, they were still not old enough because they were not yet 17 years old. Children should study at home, if indeed they are not in school. But even being trained to fight the authorities, it’s really pathetic!
KST hindered the progress of the young Papuan generation who are passionate about learning, by setting fire to school buildings. This burning event shows that they don’t want the native children of the Cendrawasih Earth to achieve higher education. The community condemned KST’s actions and hoped that the authorities would hunt them down immediately.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bali
