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Security heightened to uphold public order
The Papua Police have deployed two-thirds of their force as they are expecting disturbances on Sunday as Papuan separatists commemorate Papuan independence, which falls on Dec
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he Papua Police have deployed two-thirds of their force as they are expecting disturbances on Sunday as Papuan separatists commemorate Papuan independence, which falls on Dec. 1.
'We are sending our personnel to high-crime areas,' Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian said on Saturday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
'In a meeting two days ago, I asked all precinct police chiefs to be on high alert and patrol areas prone to shootings.'
Areas considered prone to criminal activities are Puncak Jaya, Lanny Jaya, Mimika, Jayapura, Sarmi, Paniai, Yapen Islands and Mamberamo Raya regencies.
Tito also said the police had been communicating with related parties to prevent violence and uphold public order and security.
'All police precincts have been told to communicate openly with tribal heads, customary and religious leaders to achieve public order and security,' he said.
On Friday, National Police Security Maintenance Agency (Baharkam) chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti said that he would send a company-level unit (SSK) as reinforcement from the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) to Papua. An SSK consists of 100 personnel.
The Free Papua Movement (OPM) has been waging a low-level separatist war since declaring Papua a free state on Dec. 1, 1961.
OPM members usually mark Dec. 1 by hoisting the Morning Star flag, an offense that carries a punishment of up to 20 years in prison.
The police conducted sweeps ahead of Dec. 1 and managed on Saturday to confiscate a cache of weapons, including makeshift firearms, ammunition for various firearms, military uniforms, makeshift bombs and tools to produce makeshift firearms.
The discovery was made in a building in Yongsu village, Ravenirara district in Jayapura regency after receiving tip-offs from residents.
Residents said there were about 30 people gathering in the building owned by Oktovinanus Okoseray, said Papua Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw.
Paulus said it was not clear what the group's intention was and that Oktovinanus had been detained.
Oktovinanus' followers grew angry when their leader was taken by police and damaged a number of villagers' houses.
Paulus also said that one Brimob operative had been injured and a separatist was killed during a shootout in Jayapura's Depapre district.
XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command (Kodam) chief Maj. Gen. Christian Zebua was upbeat that Papua would remain safe on Dec. 1 as it falls on Sunday when Christians usually attend church services.
'It is OK to stage rallies as long as laws are not being broken. Any actions aspiring to secede from Indonesia, however, will face the Indonesian Military [TNI],' he said.
