Pradnya Paramitha (Social and Political Observer)
It is a common knowledge that the Armed Papuan Separatist Criminal Group (KKB/KKSB/OPM) carried out a series of violence on the land of Cendrawasih. KKB, which is a Papuan separatist movement, cruelly murdered civilians and members of the TNI and Polri who served in Papua.
However, the KKB always twisted the facts. They accuse officers on duty such as the TNI or Polri of committing violence against the Papuan people. They bring the mission of the Indonesian government’s negative issues to an international forum.
Some time ago, KKB shot two soldiers and three civilians. Among the three civilians was Pastor Jeremiah. As usual, the KKB spread rumors that the perpetrator of the shooting of Pastor Jeremiah was the TNI. The issue of human rights violations, human rights violations, was again pinned to the shooting case.
The Head of Information for Kogabwilhan III Colonel Czi IGN Suriastawa denied that the TNI was the gunman of Jeremia. According to Suriastawa, the Separatist Groups in Papua are seeking attention ahead of the UN General Assembly. He emphasized that the accusation that the TNI shot Jeremiah was heinous slander.
The KKB act which always cornered the TNI / Polri and the Indonesian government was actually a classic accusation. Last year this group also carried out the same agenda. They framed rumors that the Indonesian government committed human rights violations during the riots in Wamena, Papua. Benny Wenda, Chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) urged the United Nations (UN) and island nations in the Pacific to help stop the unrest that occurred in Papua.
Benny also asked the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to immediately visit Papua. He said massacres and violence continued to occur in Papua with the deployment of 16 thousand Indonesian soldiers to Papua in August 2019.
Even though the rioting in Wamena was triggered by the circulation of hoax news related to racism. The news was spread by groups affiliated with the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and developed in the community. The group spreads rumors wearing high school uniforms.
From these incidents, Member of Commission I DPR RI, Sukamta asked the government to firmly call the KKB a separatist group. Moreover, the group moved systematically and indicated that it was supported by parties abroad.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Police Strategic Studies Institute (Lemkapi) assesses the placement of the TNI and Polri in Papua to protect the local people. The Executive Director of Lemkapi, Dr Edi Hasibuan, emphasized that he did not agree with the withdrawal of proposals from the TNI and Polri. Lemkapi assesses that the security situation in Papua is less conducive because of the KKB act. He said the orders from the National Police and the TNI Commander to strengthen the troops in Papua were correct.
Edi, who is a former member of the National Police Commission, said that the Papuan people really need the presence of the TNI and Polri to protect the community from the KKB group that messes up. Protecting the community is the duty of the state, in this case the TNI and Polri are given responsibility by the state. If the TNI and Polri are withdrawn, it is certain that Papua will be destroyed and the local community will continue to be victims of the KKB’s fury.
For the record, based on data from the Papua Regional Police, in 2020 the KKB carried out 46 attacks. If calculated from the last incident in Intan Jaya which killed three civilians and two soldiers, there were approximately 11 people killed and 25 injured.
So, the community must still be critical and vigilant so as not to be carried away by issues related to Papua. Hoax news that is deliberately framed by separatist groups through social media should be further investigated. I am sure that the Papuan people who have chosen the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) will always be loyal to MERAH PUTIH (RED WHITE, Flag of Indonesia) ()
