Mahfud MD: The situation in Papua is normal, there is no martial law

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said the government would not declare an emergency situation in Papua after a series of attacks by armed criminal groups (KKB) or the OPM.

Mahfud considers the situation on Earth of Cendrawasih to be normal. According to him, KKB alias OPM only operates in the central region of Papua with a narrow area coverage.
 
"(Papua situation) has begun to be handled, basically we analyze every development, what will we do later, the important thing is that Papua must be treated as a normal area. in a normal way," said Mahfud at the UGM Mosque, Sleman, Sunday (3/4).
 
Mahfud said that those who considered the Papuan emergency situation to be wrong because the circulation of illegal weapons in the easternmost province was only 111 units. Meanwhile, said Mahfud, the circulation of illegal firearms in areas such as Kalimantan, Maluku, Aceh, Jakarta could reach thousands.

"That means it's more emergency, the normal ones are thousands, there are only 111. Is it time for us to overdo it," he said.

The former chairman of the Constitutional Court (MK) also said that recent criminal acts in Papua often occur in other areas. Events of shooting or even attacks with sharp weapons, said Mahfud, also occurred in Java and Sumatra.
 
"People slaughter people, people shoot people, it also happens in Java, Sumatra, it happens everywhere, people slaughter their children, people slaughter their mothers a lot," said Mahfud.

"Well, we consider incidents like that with special attention because they are in Papua, then there is the color of the OPM. That's just the color. But if the crime that happened there also happened in Java, outside Papua," he continued.

Therefore, Mahfud claims, the government is now using a welfare approach to deal with problems in Papua.

"Not a combat approach. Combat is still needed when something goes out of bounds and has met certain circumstances. As long as it doesn't, it's normal security," he said.
 
In the last few days, a number of officers were killed as a result of shootings carried out by the KKB. On March 26, for example, the KKB attacked the military post of the Marine Battalion-33 Mupe Task Force in Nduga Regency, killing two marines.

Then on March 28, KKB opened fire on the Koteka Post guarded by Marines in Kwareh Bawah, Kenyam, Nduga Regency, Papua. The post is located 350 meters from Kenyam Airport. There were no casualties in the gun battle.

Then on March 30, the Armed Criminal Group set fire to the elementary and junior high schools in Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya Regency. There are also teachers who are victims of abuse.

Spokesperson for TPNPB-OPM Sebby Sambom admitted that his party set fire to the school building. Sebby explained that the action was carried out as revenge against the authorities for the death of Toni Tabuni in Nabire last Tuesday (29/3).
 
Then on March 31, Sergeant Eka and his wife, who is a health center midwife, were shot dead by OTK on Thursday (31/3) morning at around 06.15 WIT at the kiosk belonging to the TNI member, Jalan Trans Elelim Kp. Elelim Elelim District, Yalimo.

The son of TNI Soldier Sertu Eka Andrianto Hasugian was also a victim in the shooting incident of his parents. His finger was the victim of an OTK attack.

SOURCE: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20220404033351-32-779711/mahfud-md-situasi-papua-normal-tak-ada-darurat-militer