2) Year Ender - Development in Papua remains priority despite security challenges by Fardah
3) Yigi River bridge construction to resume next week: Military chief
4) OPM Claims Responsibility of Shooting, Dares Jokowi to Catch Them
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1) Papua mass killing: What happened
Karina M. Tehusijarana The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Fri, December 7, 2018 | 09:43 am
Ready for action: Indonesian Military personnel prepare to board a helicopter in Wamena in Papua on Wednesday to retrieve the bodies of the construction workers killed in Nduga. The soldiers hunted for rebels suspected of killing 19 construction workers and one soldier in the restive province of Papua, as an eyewitness account supplied by the military described a grisly mass execution. (AFP/Anyong)
At least 20 people have been killed in Nduga regency, Papua, by an armed group with ties to the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
The casualties include 19 workers of state-owned construction company PT Istaka Karya, who were assigned to build a 275-kilometer section to connect Wamena and Mamugu as part of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s flagship trans-Papua road project. One Indonesian Military (TNI) soldier was also killed.
What happened?
According to the account of surviving Istaka Karya worker Jimmi Aritonang, which he relayed to the Cendrawasih Military Command, an armed group kidnapped 25 workers from the Istaka Karya camp in Nduga regency on Saturday and forcefully marched them to the nearby Karunggame River.
On Sunday, the workers were once again forced to move, this time toward the Puncak Kabo hill. On the way there, they were ordered to squat and line up in five rows. The gunmen then shot at the workers, killing 14 on the spot, while the remaining 11 pretended to be dead.
The gunmen then left the victims and continued their journey to Puncak Kabo. The 11 workers who had played dead attempted to escape, but they were spotted. The rebels caught and killed five of them, while the other six managed to escape toward Mbua. Four, including Jimmi, have been secured by TNI forces, but the other two were still missing as of Wednesday.
Early on Monday, the TNI post where Jimmi and his friends were being protected was reportedly attacked by a group of rebels armed with guns, arrows and spears. One soldier was killed and another injured in the attack.
How many casualties?
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian and Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto confirmed on Wednesday that 20 people had been killed by the rebels.
"Nineteen workers and one TNI [Indonesian Military] soldier died," Tito said on Wednesday. This number seems to be based on Jimmi's account.
Initially, police had said that 31 workers were feared to have been killed by the gunmen. Istaka Karya president Sigit Inarto said, however, that there were only 28 workers at the location.
A joint military-police task force recovered 15 bodies from the area near the location of the incident on Wednesday night.
“Our joint forces have found 15 bodies and will continue the search tomorrow,” Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Martuani Sormin Siregar told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Cendrawasih Military Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Dax Siburian said the joint military-police search team in Yigi district had found the bodies and a survivor named Johny Arung in the area around Tabo hill. Johny was evacuated to the Mbua TNI post.
“The bodies have not yet been identified, so we cannot confirm whether the 15 victims are all PT Istaka Karya workers,” Dax told the Post.
Who was responsible?
A faction of the National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB) led by Egianus Kogoya has claimed responsibility for the deaths of the construction workers and the TNI soldier.
“Yes, we conducted the operations in Kali Aworak, Kali Yigi and at the Mbua TNI post, and we are ready to take responsibility. The attacks were led by Makodap III Ndugama commander Egianus Kogeya and operations commander Pemne Kogeya,” OPM spokesperson Sebby Sanbom said in a written statement on Wednesday.
Sebby denied, however, that the workers killed were civilians, claiming that they were members of the Indonesian Army Corps of Engineers (Zipur).
“Our targets are not wrong, we know which are civilian workers and which are TNI Zipur members, even if they wear plain clothes,” he said.
What is the government's response?
Jokowi has pledged that the government will hunt down those responsible for the shootings and that it will not halt infrastructure development in Papua.
“Currently, the TNI commander is in Papua to handle the attack by an armed group in Papua that has resulted in the deaths of workers that were assigned to build the trans-Papua road,” Jokowi said on Wednesday. “Let us pray together that the heroes of the trans-Papua development are welcomed at God’s side. I have also ordered the TNI commander and the National Police chief to pursue and arrest all the perpetrators of that savage act.”
He said there was no room for such armed groups in Papua or anywhere in Indonesia.
“This only makes us more determined to continue our great duty to develop Papua,” he said.
Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko called on the police and military to be proportionate in their response to the attack.
“The TNI should not be provoked,” he said on Wednesday. “The TNI and police have to show professionalism and work proportionately.”
He also called on domestic and foreign human rights groups to look at the incident with “open eyes.”
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2) Year Ender - Development in Papua remains priority despite security challenges by Fardah
Reporter: Fardah Assegaf 16 hours ago
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The fact that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has visited Papua nine times since December 2014 shows that his administration gives special attention to the development programs in the country`s easternmost province.
Jokowi`s first visit was in December 2014, just over a month after he was sworn in as Indonesia`s seventh president in October 2014. At that time, the president promised the Papuans that he would frequently visit the province.
His latest visit was on Nov 16, 2018, where he personally reviewed the construction works of Trans-Papua road development project. The section he checked was on Kilometer 23 between Merauke and Sota in the district of Merauke.
The Trans-Papua road, spanning 4.6 thousand kilometers, is expected to improve connectivity on Papua Island, which comprises Papua and West Papua Provinces.
Trans-Papua will cut time in the transportation of goods, logistics, and people`s movement in Papua, which has difficult terrain as a large part of its land area is still covered by thick forest and swamps.
The implementation of the Trans-Papua development project has so far been smooth, until Dec 2, 2018, when the public was shocked by reports of murders of more than a dozen workers of the road development project.
Indonesia`s security officers have, so far, discovered 16 bodies of slain workers employed by PT Istaka Karya Construction Company.
Jimy Aritonang, one of the survivors of the terror attack, recalled that some 50 armed men belonging to an outlawed group, led by Egunius Kogoya, had taken 25 workers from their camp to Mount Kabo.
On arriving in the remote mountainous area, the criminals shot the workers, whose hands were bound. Some 14 men died on the spot, while 11 others pretended to be dead and later attempted to escape. However, five were later recaptured and killed by the criminals, while several others managed to reach a military post.
The criminals chased them and later got engaged in a shootout with several military officers. One officer, identified as First Sergeant Handoko, was killed in the attack, while another one was injured.
Jokowi on Dec 5, 2018, expressed condolences on behalf of the Indonesian people, who mourned the deaths of the workers.
He immediately assigned Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Deputy Police Chief Commissioner General Ari Dono to go to Papua to handle the tragedy, and arrest every perpetrator involved in the murders.
"I affirm that there is no place for armed criminal groups like this in the land of Papua as well as in every corner of the country," he stated.
The incident has, in fact, strengthened the nation`s determination to develop Papua, he remarked.
Chief of the Presidential Staff Moeldoko condemned the terror attack and described the murders of the civilians as barbaric.
The government has deployed 150 military and police personnel to protect the people of Papua and construction workers.
The former commander of TNI, however, reminded that the military and police officers should remain professional in carrying out their tasks and not be provoked.
The determination to continue the project implementation was also voiced by Tjahjanto.
"Insha Allah (God Willing), next week, development of the bridge and (Trans-Papua) road will resume," the marshal noted in Timika, Mimika District, Papua, on Dec 6, 2018.
The TNI and Indonesian Police (Polri) will set up a joint security team to guard the construction work of bridges and roads in Nduga.
Restive Papua Island has been given a special autonomy status. However, it seems that the development programs have not met the public`s expectations, although the government has set up the Papua and West Papua Development Acceleration Unit (UP4B) in 2012 to boost Papua`s development.
Challenges in Papua, a home to vast and intact forest area and one of the world`s largest gold mine, are very complex. Security disturbances are quite a problem, but the central government has determined to deal with the problem professionally.
A total of 30 police officers had been shot dead and 57 were injured by members of criminal and separatist groups over the last 10 years (2008-June 2018) in Papua.
In addition to police officers, a total of 78 civilians were shot dead, and 117 others were wounded by outlawed groups in Papua, according to Inspector General Boy Rafli Amar, chief of the Papua Provincial Police, in a statement on the security reflection of the first semester of 2018, on July 3, 2018.
"We continue to handle the groups in accordance with the existing procedures," he remarked, adding that the police would never shoot the killers without following the standard of operation, he added.
In October 2017, some 1.3 thousand people, comprising of over 850 indigenous Papuans and 346 migrant workers, had been held hostages by an armed criminal group (KKB) in several villages in Tembagapura, Mimika, for about three weeks.
A joint military and police task force of Indonesia managed to release them and drive away the hostage takers on Nov 17, last year.
This year, a number of teachers were also reportedly kidnapped and raped by armed criminal group members. The Indonesian security later managed to release and save the victims.
The latest case was when 15 teachers were kidnapped for 14 days (Oct 3-17, 2018), and several of them were raped by the same Egunius Kogoya-led criminal group that killed the construction workers in Nduga.
Despite the security challenges, development activities in Papua must continue in accordance with the government`s programs.
Security personnel will guard companies, including state-owned enterprises, carrying out construction work in Papua.
Editing by Yoseph Hariyadi
Jokowi`s first visit was in December 2014, just over a month after he was sworn in as Indonesia`s seventh president in October 2014. At that time, the president promised the Papuans that he would frequently visit the province.
His latest visit was on Nov 16, 2018, where he personally reviewed the construction works of Trans-Papua road development project. The section he checked was on Kilometer 23 between Merauke and Sota in the district of Merauke.
The Trans-Papua road, spanning 4.6 thousand kilometers, is expected to improve connectivity on Papua Island, which comprises Papua and West Papua Provinces.
Trans-Papua will cut time in the transportation of goods, logistics, and people`s movement in Papua, which has difficult terrain as a large part of its land area is still covered by thick forest and swamps.
The implementation of the Trans-Papua development project has so far been smooth, until Dec 2, 2018, when the public was shocked by reports of murders of more than a dozen workers of the road development project.
Indonesia`s security officers have, so far, discovered 16 bodies of slain workers employed by PT Istaka Karya Construction Company.
Jimy Aritonang, one of the survivors of the terror attack, recalled that some 50 armed men belonging to an outlawed group, led by Egunius Kogoya, had taken 25 workers from their camp to Mount Kabo.
On arriving in the remote mountainous area, the criminals shot the workers, whose hands were bound. Some 14 men died on the spot, while 11 others pretended to be dead and later attempted to escape. However, five were later recaptured and killed by the criminals, while several others managed to reach a military post.
The criminals chased them and later got engaged in a shootout with several military officers. One officer, identified as First Sergeant Handoko, was killed in the attack, while another one was injured.
Jokowi on Dec 5, 2018, expressed condolences on behalf of the Indonesian people, who mourned the deaths of the workers.
He immediately assigned Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Deputy Police Chief Commissioner General Ari Dono to go to Papua to handle the tragedy, and arrest every perpetrator involved in the murders.
"I affirm that there is no place for armed criminal groups like this in the land of Papua as well as in every corner of the country," he stated.
The incident has, in fact, strengthened the nation`s determination to develop Papua, he remarked.
Chief of the Presidential Staff Moeldoko condemned the terror attack and described the murders of the civilians as barbaric.
The government has deployed 150 military and police personnel to protect the people of Papua and construction workers.
The former commander of TNI, however, reminded that the military and police officers should remain professional in carrying out their tasks and not be provoked.
The determination to continue the project implementation was also voiced by Tjahjanto.
"Insha Allah (God Willing), next week, development of the bridge and (Trans-Papua) road will resume," the marshal noted in Timika, Mimika District, Papua, on Dec 6, 2018.
The TNI and Indonesian Police (Polri) will set up a joint security team to guard the construction work of bridges and roads in Nduga.
Restive Papua Island has been given a special autonomy status. However, it seems that the development programs have not met the public`s expectations, although the government has set up the Papua and West Papua Development Acceleration Unit (UP4B) in 2012 to boost Papua`s development.
Challenges in Papua, a home to vast and intact forest area and one of the world`s largest gold mine, are very complex. Security disturbances are quite a problem, but the central government has determined to deal with the problem professionally.
A total of 30 police officers had been shot dead and 57 were injured by members of criminal and separatist groups over the last 10 years (2008-June 2018) in Papua.
In addition to police officers, a total of 78 civilians were shot dead, and 117 others were wounded by outlawed groups in Papua, according to Inspector General Boy Rafli Amar, chief of the Papua Provincial Police, in a statement on the security reflection of the first semester of 2018, on July 3, 2018.
"We continue to handle the groups in accordance with the existing procedures," he remarked, adding that the police would never shoot the killers without following the standard of operation, he added.
In October 2017, some 1.3 thousand people, comprising of over 850 indigenous Papuans and 346 migrant workers, had been held hostages by an armed criminal group (KKB) in several villages in Tembagapura, Mimika, for about three weeks.
A joint military and police task force of Indonesia managed to release them and drive away the hostage takers on Nov 17, last year.
This year, a number of teachers were also reportedly kidnapped and raped by armed criminal group members. The Indonesian security later managed to release and save the victims.
The latest case was when 15 teachers were kidnapped for 14 days (Oct 3-17, 2018), and several of them were raped by the same Egunius Kogoya-led criminal group that killed the construction workers in Nduga.
Despite the security challenges, development activities in Papua must continue in accordance with the government`s programs.
Security personnel will guard companies, including state-owned enterprises, carrying out construction work in Papua.
Editing by Yoseph Hariyadi
-----------------------------------
3) Yigi River bridge construction to resume next week: Military chief
Reporter: antara 9 hours ago
Timika, Papua (ANTARA News) - Construction of a bridge over Yigi River located in Yall Sub-district, Nduga District, Papua Province, will resume next week, Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto stated.
"Insha Allah (God Willing), next week, development of the bridge and (Trans Papua) road will resume," the marshal noted here, Thursday.
The TNI and Indonesian Police (Polri) will set up a joint security team to guard the construction work of bridges and roads in Nduga, which are part of the Trans Papua project, he revealed.
The military will coordinate with the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry for the resumption of development activities in the country`s easternmost province of Papua.
On December 2, 2018, armed criminal group members murdered several workers building a bridge over Yigi River.
The joint TNI and Polri team has, so far, discovered 16 bodies of slain workers employed by the PT Istaka Karya construction company.
The team managed to evacuate eight survivors and move eight bodies from Nduga to Timika, Mimika District, on Thursday.
Jimy Aritonang, one of the survivors, recalled that some 50 armed men belonging to an outlawed group, led by Egunius Kogoya, had taken 25 workers from the camp to Mount Kabo.
On arriving in the remote mountainous area, the criminals shot the workers, whose hands were bound. Some 14 men died on the spot, while 11 others pretended to be dead and later attempted to escape. However, five were later recaptured and killed by the criminals, while several others managed to reach a military post.
The criminals chased them until the military post and got engaged in a shootout with the officers. One military officer, identified as First Sergeant Handoko, was killed in the attack, while another one was injured.
Reporting by Evarianus Supar
Editing by Fardah Assegaf
"Insha Allah (God Willing), next week, development of the bridge and (Trans Papua) road will resume," the marshal noted here, Thursday.
The TNI and Indonesian Police (Polri) will set up a joint security team to guard the construction work of bridges and roads in Nduga, which are part of the Trans Papua project, he revealed.
The military will coordinate with the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry for the resumption of development activities in the country`s easternmost province of Papua.
On December 2, 2018, armed criminal group members murdered several workers building a bridge over Yigi River.
The joint TNI and Polri team has, so far, discovered 16 bodies of slain workers employed by the PT Istaka Karya construction company.
The team managed to evacuate eight survivors and move eight bodies from Nduga to Timika, Mimika District, on Thursday.
Jimy Aritonang, one of the survivors, recalled that some 50 armed men belonging to an outlawed group, led by Egunius Kogoya, had taken 25 workers from the camp to Mount Kabo.
On arriving in the remote mountainous area, the criminals shot the workers, whose hands were bound. Some 14 men died on the spot, while 11 others pretended to be dead and later attempted to escape. However, five were later recaptured and killed by the criminals, while several others managed to reach a military post.
The criminals chased them until the military post and got engaged in a shootout with the officers. One military officer, identified as First Sergeant Handoko, was killed in the attack, while another one was injured.
Reporting by Evarianus Supar
Editing by Fardah Assegaf
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