T

he community in Sinak district has declared its opposition to the presence of the National Liberation Army/Free Papua Movement (TPN/OPM), a Papuan separatist group, and will impose customary sanctions against residents who are found accommodating or harboring the rebels.

The declaration was made, according to Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw, because the community in Sinak are tired of disturbances, especially the attack and murder of security personnel.

'€œThe community there strongly object to the group'€™s presence and will not allow members to enter their villages. Residents are now guarding their villages and helping authorities to locate and capture the perpetrators who shot and killed three members of the Sinak District Police,'€ Paulus said on Wednesday.

First approved by tribal chief Daibenus Murib and religious leader Zakarias Tabuni and witnessed by Sinyo and Sinak District Military Command chief First Let. Yusuf Rumi, the declaration letter was handed to Waterpauw by the 12 village chiefs and Sinak District Police Second Insp. Sinyo R. Walean.

'€œIf any of the residents of the 12 villages in Sinak district are found to be harboring, providing food or providing the TPN/OPM rebels with a place to stay, we, on behalf of the residents of the 12 villages, will impose customary fines,'€ reads part of the declaration statement.

The Sinak District Police station was attacked by 25 members of the armed civilian group on Dec. 26, 2015. Three police officers were killed while two others were injured. The group also managed to seize seven firearms and a box of ammunition.

Waterpauw was in Sinak on Tuesday to provide support to the security personnel who have been conducting the manhunt and providing food aid to local residents.

The manhunt, added Paulus, was being conducted in order to accelerate the capture of the armed civilian group.

He said that the Papua Police will cooperate with Cenderawasih Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Hinsa to develop a strategy for the manhunt.

Paulus has asked for community-wide support to help capture members of the group who have caused unrest among residents and disturbed development in Sinak.

'€œResidents don'€™t have to lift arrows against the group, but simply guard the area and report their presence to authorities,'€ he said.

Papua legislative speaker Yunus Wonda expressed a similar stance, asking that the community cease to show support for the armed group.

Papua People'€™s Assembly chairman Matius Murib expressed a similar sentiment, saying that the actions taken by the criminal group had not made the people of Papua prosperous but instead interrupted development and thus reinforced poverty.

'€œPeople have long yearned for development, but the group continues to create disturbances. How can people benefit from development, like other people, if such security disturbance continues?'€ said Murib.

Murib urged the community to work together with the authorities to expel the group from their region.

'€œJust provide the authorities with information. Residents don'€™t have to fight because information is adequate. The security personnel will face the rebels,'€ said Murib.