The security apparatus consisting of joint forces from the Indonesian National Army (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) continues to strive to ensure security and a conducive situation in Papua. In this effort, they continue to prioritize soft approach handling as the main priority when dealing with separatist and terrorist groups (KST) in Bumi Cenderawasih.
Of course, a series of appropriate strategies to be able to handle these separatist gangs must be prepared very carefully. Moreover, KST Papua always carries out various kinds of acts of brutality, ranging from attacks on civilians to various kinds of destruction of state public facilities.
Therefore, proper handling of KST continues to be one of the very serious concerns of TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto. He said that up to now the handling that has been carried out in dealing with them is that the security forces are still prioritizing a strategy in the form of a soft approach, namely territorial operations.
Moreover, by using a soft approach, we will also be able to help accelerate development in the easternmost province of the country, because so far the development being pursued by the Central Government continues to be hampered due to disturbances caused by the presence of separatist gangs.
It cannot be denied that the presence of all joint personnel security forces in Papua is aimed at assisting various government programs, the aim of which is to further improve the welfare of all the people of Cenderawasih Earth itself.
For this reason, the TNI continues to strive to establish good collaboration with all other agencies such as the National Police, ministries and other related institutions in order to intensify support for the government’s efforts to encourage accelerated development in Papua.
The security forces themselves also really hope that the local regional government (Pemda) and various other related agencies, that if they carry out any work or programs in areas that can be categorized as prone to KST disturbances, they should ask the TNI or Polri for security assistance. This will be very useful to further minimize acts of terror that might be carried out by KST Papua.
The reason is that recently the separatist gangs have carried out their acts of violence completely indiscriminately. They have also often attacked project workers who were working, as happened in Paro to the Community Health Center workers, where they were shot by KST.
Good collaboration from all elements is of course a very important foundation and should continue to be carried out because it will further facilitate all development processes that will be carried out on Bumi Cenderawasih. Therefore, all disturbances that could arise from separatist groups will be optimally secured if collaboration is carried out optimally from the start.
Not only will they generally continue to prioritize a soft approach, but in an effort to free and rescue Susi AirPhilip pilot Mark Mehrtens who was taken hostage by Egianus Kogoya’s group, the security forces will also continue to prioritize a soft approach.
The TNI Commander confirmed that efforts to free the Susi Air Pilot were still prioritizing diplomatic steps, involving several parties such as the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) of Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains.
The security forces themselves continue to try as much as possible to avoid gunshots even if it is just one bullet. A soft approach is a step that can be said to be very appropriate because on the other hand it can also help accelerate Papua’s development, because in fact the region receives a very high budget but in fact gaps continue to occur. The disparities that occur in Bumi Cenderawasih are actually not because the government is not paying enough attention, but because of the security disturbances caused by KST Papua.
By carrying out territorial operations, it is considered a very good step because it is also a real step by the security forces to assist all government programs to improve the welfare of the local community.
In order to ensure a safe and conducive situation and conditions in Papua, this cannot be done haphazardly. This requires very careful calculations because it also takes into account several things such as the safety and security of civil society, as well as how smoothly the government’s development programs run smoothly. Therefore, the soft approach efforts carried out by the security forces as a priority in dealing with KST Papua is the right choice.
