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Jakarta Post

First Papuan appointed police chief outside region

Papuans have praised National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian for appointing a native to the country's eastermost region as a police chief in Java.      

Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post)
Jayapura
Mon, March 20, 2017

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First Papuan appointed police chief outside region National Police chief Gen.Tito Karnavian explains security challenges during a press conference in Jakarta on Dec.28. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)

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apuans have praised National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian for appointing a native to the country's eastermost region as a police chief in Java.

Tito has appointed Adj. Sr. Comr. Semmy Ronny Thabaa, former Nabire Police chief in Papua, as the new chief of Tegal Police in Central Java.

“This is the first such appointment. We give our highest appreciation to General Tito,” chairman of Meepago customs council John NR Gobay, who is also a secretary of the Papuan Customary Council, told The Jakarta Post.

(Read also: Political risk of neglecting inequality in Papua)

The assignment given to Semmy by Gen. Tito – who was once a Papua Police chief, as he saw it, shows a changing perspective on the way Javanese people see Papuans, who are often considered behind in education and development.

He said now people from other parts of Indonesia could learn that Papuans were well-educated, had good achievements and could perform well in the tasks entrusted to them.

Semmy is a 1995 graduate of the Police Academy. Before he was assigned in Tegal, he was a police chief in Paniai, Jayawijaya and Nabire, all in Papua.

John said Semmy was assertive but a populist, proactive in handling cases and had good communication skills with all walks of life, including those holding different opinions.

Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw also appreciated the police chief's move, saying that he hoped Semmy could become a role model for young Papuan police officers. (wit)

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