TPNPB Kodap XXXV Bintang Timur Claims to Burn School Buildings and Teachers' Housing in Okbab Pegunungan Bintang

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Original Bahasa link

https://jubi.id/polhukam/2024/tpnpb-kodap-xxxv-bintang-timur-klaim-bakar-gedung-sekolah-dan-perumahan-guru-di-okbab-pegunungan-bintang/

TPNPB Kodap XXXV Bintang Timur Claims to Burn School Buildings and Teachers' Housing in Okbab Pegunungan Bintang

July 16, 2024 in Politics, Law and Security

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Author: Admin Jubi - Editor: Edho Sinaga

                                       One of the school rooms that was burned in Okbab - Jubi/Dok Warga

Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) from the XXXV Bintang Timur Regional Defense Command (Kodap), Pegunungan Bintang, has reportedly burned down the Okbab Junior High School and Senior High School buildings as well as teachers' housing in Okbab District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, on Saturday (13/7/2024).

TPNPB spokesperson, Sebby Sambom, confirmed that the KOMNAS TPNPB headquarters had received an official report from the TPNPB Commander of Kodap XXXV Bintang Timur, Brigadier General Ananias Ati Mimin, and his troops. They conveyed this information on Sunday (14/7/2024) that all junior high school, senior high school buildings, and teachers' housing in Borban Village, Okbab District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, had been burned down on Saturday, July 13, 2024.

“TPNPB Kodap XXXV Bintang Timur has announced to the President of Indonesia since December 5, 2021 that they will burn down all school buildings in our operational area,” said Sambom.

Sebby Sambom stated that the Indonesian version of education in Papua is destroying the cultural, historical, and ideological values ​​of the Papuan people who fought for independence from Indonesia. According to him, students are forced to memorize the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and Indonesian heroes, which he considers an attempt to make the young generation of Papua stupid.

"It's time for schools to be burned, government buildings to be burned. It's time for Papuans to think about fighting for Papuan independence. Later, after independence, we will build better schools, hospitals, and government buildings in West Papua," he said

Smoke was seen rising from the junior high and high school buildings and teachers' housing in Borban village, Okbab district, Pegunungan Bintang regency, Papua Pegunungan province on Saturday (13/7/2024). Jubi/Doc Warga. 

Sambom also appealed to all students and college students throughout Indonesia to return to Papua and fight for Papuan independence. He added that after independence, all students and college students will be sent abroad to pursue better education using Papua's own state funds.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Cartenz 2024 Peace Operation, Brigadier General Faizal Ramadhani, confirmed that the Armed Group had acted up again by burning down a school building and an elementary school office in Borban Village, Okbab District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, on Friday (12/7/2024).

"We deeply regret this incident. This action not only harms children and teachers, but also damages the future of our young generation," he said.

Brigadier General Faizal emphasized that the burning of this school was an extraordinary crime that must be dealt with firmly. Security forces will continue to make maximum efforts to arrest and punish the perpetrators of this crime.

In line with this statement, the Head of the Public Relations Task Force for the Cartenz-2024 Peace Operation, Senior Commissioner Bayu Suseno also strongly condemned the actions of the Armed Group. He stated that the burning of schools by the KKB was very inhumane and could not be tolerated.

"We will tighten security in conflict-prone areas and try to provide a sense of security to the community. We will not allow such heinous acts to destroy the enthusiasm of Papuan children to learn,” he said.

The burning of schools by the TPNPB adds to the long list of violence carried out by the group, which continues to disturb the community and disrupt security stability in Papua. The government and security forces continue to strive to overcome this security disturbance and restore conditions in the affected areas so that the community can return to their activities in peace.

“The community is expected to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities,” said Senior Commissioner Bayu Suseno.

One of the residents of Okbab District who witnessed the incident in Borban Village reported that the fire at the Okbab Junior High School and Senior High School buildings and the teachers' housing was allegedly carried out by the TPNPB Kodap XXXV Bintang Timur group at 10:15 a.m. Papua time. This incident resulted in seven junior high school classes, six teachers' houses, and three rooms at the Okbab Senior High School burning down.

“It is true that the junior high school, senior high school, and teachers' housing burned down. "In SMA Negeri 1 Okbab there were 3 classrooms, the SMA Negeri Okbab office, 4 buildings burned down, textbooks burned down, and various other important documents," said the resident when confirmed by Jubi. (*)

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