By: Loa Murib
The conflict created by the separatist group Free Papua Organization (OPM) not only creates security instability but also harms civil society who yearn for peace and progress. Therefore, it is important to be alert to provocations and prioritize law enforcement in maintaining Papua’s security.
The provocations carried out by OPM have had a broad impact on the daily lives of the Papuan people. In some areas, attacks by these groups have caused damage to infrastructure, disrupted public services such as education and health, and created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. One of the most recent incidents involved the burning of a school, which not only damaged educational facilities but also threatened the future of Papuan children.
Apart from that, provocations by OPM often cause tension between communities in Papua. This violent separatist group uses ethnic and cultural issues to divide society, creating distrust and potential conflict between groups. This is exacerbated by the spread of inaccurate or biased information, which can worsen the situation and hinder efforts to achieve peace and reconciliation.
Papuan traditional figure, Herman Yoku, strongly condemned the various sadistic acts carried out by the OPM. According to him, OPM often provokes and triggers riots in various regions in Papua. Herman believes that OPM has violated many human rights by killing and oppressing civilians under the pretext of fighting for Papuan independence. However, he emphasized that not all Papuans support independence. He also highlighted that the OPM had tricked the Papuan people into attacking the government, even though the majority of Papuan people loved peace.
Herman called on OPM to stop all acts of violence. Because it’s useless to fight but still kills fellow Papuans. He also invited all levels of Papuan society to always maintain conduciveness in order to create a safe and advanced Papua. Papuan Youth Leader, Ali Kabiay, also strongly condemned a number of acts of violence committed by the OPM. According to him, this action will have a negative impact on the people of Bumi Cenderawasih. Ali fully supports the security forces in taking firm action against the OPM in order to bring about peace in Papua. His party supports the authorities’ actions, because in fact the Papuan people have nothing to do with this group.
Apart from that, Commission I DPR RI also emphasized the importance of maintaining political, economic, social and security stability in Papua. Chair of Commission I DPR RI, Meutya Hafid, expressed her concern about OPM’s increasingly frequent actions. He asked the government to immediately take concrete steps and focus on conflict resolution and security stability in Papua.
Meutya hopes that the government will optimize social and cultural approaches to overcome OPM’s anarchic actions. By prioritizing the security of the Papuan people, the government needs to open dialogues with the OPM group to find a peaceful solution. This Golkar politician also emphasized that the presence of TNI and Polri security forces is really needed by the Papuan people. Strengthening the TNI and Polri in OPM-prone areas needs to be done to ensure security. Apart from that, investment in infrastructure development, education and community welfare can also help reduce security instability in Papua.
The Chairperson of the DPR RI, Puan Maharani, added that the anarchist actions carried out by the OPM must be responded to with firm law enforcement but still prioritizing the humanist side. According to him, problems related to OPM continue to recur and they are increasingly anarchic, destroying public facilities and attacking security forces. Therefore, there is a need for a socio-cultural approach to embrace the community so that misunderstandings do not occur.
Puan also asked TNI-Polri personnel to ensure security and conduciveness in conflict-prone areas such as Puncak Jaya after the riots. He encouraged the optimization of collaboration and solidarity between TNI-Polri personnel in resolving the conflict in Papua. Apart from that, Puan criticized the actions of the OPM group which burned down the State Middle School building in Borban Village, Okbab District, Bintang Mountains Regency, Papua Mountains, last week. According to him, this action cannot be tolerated.
According to him, OPM’s anarchist actions must be stopped because the violence and terror they carry out not only harm civil society, but also hinder development in Papua. The future of children in Papua as the next generation is at stake. He also asked the government and authorities to ensure the security and safety of children in Papua to avoid forms of intimidation and terror.
In dealing with provocation and violence carried out by the OPM, collaboration between the government, security forces and the community is very necessary. The government must ensure that law enforcement is carried out firmly but humanely, while society needs to be alert to provocations that can divide. By prioritizing dialogue and development, Papua can become a safe, peaceful and developed region.
Investment in education and infrastructure is also important to provide better opportunities for Papua’s young generation. As stated by various figures, preparing temporary educational facilities for children whose schools were burned down by the OPM is an important step to ensure that their education is not disrupted.
Through fair law enforcement and an inclusive approach, hopes for peace and progress in Papua can be realized. All parties must work together to maintain the security and welfare of the Papuan people, avoid provocation, and focus on sustainable development.
*The writer is a Papuan student in Surabaya
