Mahfud MD Asked KKB Law Enforcement To Be Firm And Measurable

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD asked the National Police and the National Army to take firm action against the Free Papua Organization and armed criminal groups (KKB) which are now included in the category of terrorism perpetrators.

Moreover, this group has become increasingly brutal in carrying out attacks and vandalism to the point of claiming victims of civilian groups in Papua.

"The government has asked the National Police, the National Army, State Intelligence Agency (BIN), and related officials to take quick, decisive, and measured actions," Mahfud said in a press conference at his office, West Medan Merdeka Street, Central Jakarta, Thursday, April 29.

Even so, the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) ensured that the strict handling by the authorities would not have an impact on civilians. "Measured according to the law in the sense that it does not target the public," he said.

As for the decision to establish the KKB and its supporters as terrorists, Mahfud said, was in accordance with statements issued by a number of figures and institutions in Papua. Not only that, but the government also saw the attitude of the KKB who had committed more and more massive acts of violence and destruction in the Papua region.

"The government considers that organizations and people in Papua who commit massive violence are categorized as terrorists. So what was stated by the Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), State Intelligence Agency (BIN), the National Army (TNI), the National Police (Polri), and Papuan figures who came here stated that they committed massive murder and brutal violence," he said.

Not only that, this labeling of terrorists, said Mahfud, is also based on the provisions stated in Law Number 5 of 2018. Where he said terrorists were anyone who planned, mobilized, and organized terrorism.

Meanwhile, terrorism is any act that uses violence or threats of violence that create an atmosphere of terror or widespread fear that can cause mass casualties and or cause damage or destruction to vital strategic objects, to the environment, public facilities, or international facilities with ideological motives, politics, and security.

"Therefore, we declare every violence, violent act that fulfills the elements of Law Number 5 of 2018 as a terror movement, and legally we will immediately process it as a terrorist movement that is recorded in our legal agenda," he concluded.