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OPM members swear allegiance to RI, hand over five firearms
The XVII/Cendrawasih Military Command chief spokesman Lt
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he XVII/Cendrawasih Military Command chief spokesman Lt. Col. Rikas Hidayatullah said Saturday some 500 members of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) in West Papua swore allegiance to Indonesia and handed over the Morning Star flag and five firearms.
Rikas said the OPM members surrendered in Sumuruk village, Ransiki district in South Manokwari, West Papua province, as reported by Antara news agency.
He added that Cenderawasih Military Command Chief Maj. Gen. Christian Zebua received the former rebels and handed a red and white flag to them.
'The 500 OPM members declared that they had surrendered and wanted to return to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia [NKRI],' he said.
Rikas said the former rebels, known as the Kaswari 1 and Kaswari 2 groups, were led by village chiefs Yance Mandacan, Sayori and Ajis Mandacan to surrender to the authorities.
'We are fed up with fighting in the jungle. It is useless and it is much better to return and rejoin NKRI. We hope our friends will follow our decision," one of the former members of OPM, which has been staging a low-intensity struggle for independence, was reported as saying.
He added the former rebels handed over an SKS carabine, two revolvers, one M16A1 assault rifle and one double-barreled rifle. (alz/nvn)
