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AYAPURA: Residents in Wamena in Jayawijaya regency, Papua, have urged security forces to resolve various crimes that have taken place in the city in the last few weeks.

Four people, three ojek drivers and a shopkeeper, were murdered during the past week. The perpetrators remain at large.

Wamena resident Asep said residents demanded that authorities become serious about resolving the cases. '€œWe need safety assurances as four residents have already been killed. We were also puzzled as to what the motives were because the four victims did not lose their belongings. They were all stabbed and slashed by sharp weapons,'€ said Asep.

Another resident Bat said residents were already distressed by the current situation, as drunk people were involved in extortion, but the authorities acted as if they were powerless in dealing with the situation and tended to ignore the matter.

Jayawijaya Military Command chief Let. Col. Yusuf Sampetoding said the military would help restore order by conducting alcohol raids and would use the full force of the law against criminals, including the killers.