By: Maria Suhiap)*
All people in Indonesia should jointly support strict law enforcement efforts carried out by the ranks of the security apparatus from joint personnel to the Papua Separatist and Terrorist Group (KST) so that peace and tranquility for all indigenous Papuan people (OAP) can be guaranteed again.
The momentum of celebrating the 78th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia’s Independence Day (HUT RI) was marked by criminal acts committed by KST Papua. They set fire to the Library Building at State High School (SMAN) 1 Ilaga on August 17, 2023.
With this incident, security forces from the teachings of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) moved swiftly and swiftly to reveal the incident. Head of Public Relations of the Regional Police (Kabid Humas Polda) Papua, Police Commissioner (Kombes Pol) Ignatius Benny Prabowo stated that the arson action was carried out by KST Papua led by Titus Murib at around 13:28 Eastern Indonesian Time (WIT) .
As a result of the arson action, the library building at the SMAN was burned down. The ranks of the security apparatus who came from the joint forces consisting of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Police immediately deployed 2 (two) units of their tactical vehicles and trucks to go to the burning location.
In the incident of arson which was carried out by KST Papua, security forces from the joint personnel also fired retaliatory shots towards the back of SMAN 1, which direction was suspected to be the place where members of the separatist group fled after they carried out their action.
Furthermore, Kombes Pol Ignatius Benny Prabowo added that the arson action was first noticed by personnel of the Fast Action Troop Command Task Force (Satgas Kopasgat) Yonko 468/Sarotama Pos 25 Aminggary Airport after they saw thick smoke coming from the Ilaga School Complex building.
As is known, KST attacked the Satgas Mobile Yon 7 Marines in Dekai District, Yahukimo, Highlands Papua last Monday (21/8). As a result, a member of the Marine Corps Mobile Yon 7 Marines TNI-AL named Pratu Agung Pramudi Laksono was shot dead by KST. Regarding this matter, the Dandim 1715 Yahukimo Lt. Col. Inf Tommy Yudistyo suspected that the cause of the gunfire was because KST was not happy with the construction of a TNI-Polri Task Force post in the area.
Most recently, KST shot a civilian in Ilaga Papua named Lukman Ahmad on Wednesday (23/8) around 18.40 WIT. Apart from shooting residents, KST also burned a rice warehouse owned by the Puncak Regency Government.
Regarding the KST violence, Deputy Chairperson of Commission III of the Indonesian People’s Representative Council (DPR RI), Ahmad Sahroni strongly condemned the various actions carried out by the Papuan Separatist and Terrorist Group (KST), especially those that also occurred in Nduga Regency.
Ahmad Sahroni asked the TNI and Polri to be able to respond very strongly to the actions taken by the separatist group because they shot as many as 3 (three) civilians in Nduga and even caused the victims to die at the moment of Independence Day celebrations. 78th Republic of Indonesia.
Ahmad Sahroni feels that the incident of shooting at civilians indigenous Papuans (OAP) which was intensified by KST was indeed a very real provocation carried out by them, so it is very important and must be responded to as soon as possible.
The actions that have been carried out by the separatist gang on the land of Cendrawasih are very evil. Apart from that, the shooting incident also shows that KST Papua really wants to continue to disturb the pride and sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), especially because it is held at the right moment with the celebration of the 78th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence.
Therefore, it is very important and mandatory for the TNI and Polri to enforce the law very firmly and strictly against these separatist groups. In responding to the incident, the security forces also had to act in a firm and measured manner so that the country’s pride would not be trampled upon.
In the same vein, Member of Commission I of the DPR from the Golkar Party Fraction, Bobby Rizaldi also asked the joint security apparatus to be able to move in response to the actions that had been carried out by KST Papua. He asked that as soon as possible pursuit of the perpetrators be carried out, then they could be arrested and brought to justice.
Because with pursuit and arrest as soon as possible, the process for strict law enforcement in prosecuting criminal acts committed by separatist groups in Bumi Cenderawasih can also be carried out optimally. This includes the local government (Pemda) to be able to provide full support to the Head of the Resort Police (Kapolres) and all levels of law enforcement officers in Nduga.
KST Papua deserves to be dealt with very firmly and punished according to the various kinds of actions they have committed, which are indeed very cruel and heinous and even make the indigenous Papuan people (OAP) themselves feel constantly threatened by their terror.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bali
