Jakarta (ANTARA) - Top brass of Indonesia's National Police highlighted that Papua remains conducive ahead of the province's PON National Games to be convened in October this year.

"The national games will be held as scheduled," National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Rusdi Hartono stated in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Hartono noted that armed Papuan criminals continue to disrupt law and security in several areas, but the police and army personnel had ably handled their acts of violence.

The security personnel stationed in Papua, including those from the Nemangkawi Task Force, strive to maintain security to ensure that conditions in the province remain conducive, he remarked.

The Indonesian Defence Forces and National Police are readying a security plan to ensure that the Papua PON National Games are held as scheduled from Oct 2 to Oct 15, 2021.

Selected athletes and officials from across Indonesian provinces will participate in the national sporting event.

Over the past two weeks, Papua has borne the brunt of a string of violent attacks by armed groups targeting civilians and security personnel in the districts of Puncak and Intan Jaya.

On April 8, 2021, several armed Papuan rebels opened fire at a kiosk in Julukoma Village, Beoga Sub-district, Puncak District, at about 9:30 a.m. local time.

The shooting resulted in the death of a Beoga public elementary school teacher, Oktovianus Rayo.

After killing Rayo, the armed attackers torched three classrooms at the Beoga public senior high school.

On April 9, 2021, armed rebels reportedly shot another teacher, Yonatan Randen, on the chest.

Several villagers attempted to save the junior high school teacher and rushed him to the Beoga public health center, but he succumbed to his injuries.

On April 11, 2021, armed criminals reportedly set ablaze nine classrooms at the Beoga public junior high school.

Papua Police chief Fakhiri has vowed to trace those responsible for the deaths of the two teachers.

"The TNI (Indonesian military) and police personnel will never retreat even a single step in enforcing the law against the killers," Fakhiri asserted in Timika last week.
  Related news: Govt guarantees vaccine stocks for Papua before PON National Games

Related news: Two held for attacking soup vendor in Papua's Intan Jaya


Close
EDITED BY INE