Andika Perkasa Promises Humanist Approach In Papua, DPR Agree

Fit and proper test Andika Perkasa (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) approved General Andika Perkasa to be the Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces. Before being approved as National Armed Force (TNI) Commander, Andika first took the fit and proper test at the defense commission.

After being approved, Andika also thanked him. That way, the fit and proper test is complete and the results will be immediately brought to the plenary session on Monday, November 8.

"I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, thank you," said Andika at the DPR building, Jakarta, Saturday, November 6. In the feasibility test, Andika explained the handling of security in Papua. Members of Commission I of the DPR also revealed a number of Andika's promises regarding security in Papua. A member of Commission I of the DPR from the NasDem Party faction, Hasbi Anshory, revealed that Andika's plan to no longer use a military approach in Papua but will use a humanist approach.

"So the first thing I see is that the TNI Commander is a chivalrous person. He does not cover up that in terms of weakness, he conveys that there are weaknesses and he will try to resolve Papua in a humane way, no longer with a military approach," said Hasbi, Saturday, November 6. Hasbi assessed that the approach taken in relation to the Papua issue has always been tough. Hasbi said that now Andika is no longer using a military approach.

"Yes, maybe the military is not as tough as it used to be, we didn't say it was tough, yes, but the main thing is that the candidate for the TNI Commander wants a humanistic approach, the approach is no longer militarily," said Hasbi. He said Andika plans to no longer use a war approach in dealing with the Papua issue and will use a soft approach.

"The principle he conveyed earlier is how to win a battle without war. It means that there is a soft approach that he takes, a social approach that he takes. In the end, the problem can also be solved. We hope so," said Lodewijk to reporters, Saturday, November 6.

Andika is said to be resolving the conflict in Papua by utilizing territorial development operations. He said the TNI prioritized communication.

"His mainstays are not combat units, but territorial units that have been deployed, starting from Village Advisory Officer (Babinsa), Tamtama, and Military District Commander (Kodim), and that is what has been strengthened," explained Lodewijk.

The secretary-general of the Golkar Party claimed that Andika Perkasa had already started preparing a territorial unit in Papua. The soldiers, he said, will be made a special selection first.

"Pak Andika has started by deploying territorial units there, because they are taken from all Army soldiers, of course, they are selected because they speak, there are special criteria for a soldier," he said.

'Win Heart and Mind' to tackle Papuan issues

A member of Commission I from the Golkar Party faction, Bobby Adhityo, said Andika would use a 'win heart and mind' method. He said Andika would win the hearts and minds of opponents in every conflict that occurred in the archipelago.

"So what was conveyed by the Commander-in-Chief, the approach was not to think of him as an enemy, but to win hearts and minds. That's the term," said Bobby.

"So if there is one, for example, who are brothers, don't be like that, maybe in how many years, whose family is it and it is indeed prosperous, so that the approach is not our approach as like fighting a war," he continued.

The Golkar politician also mentioned the shortcomings that Andika acknowledged in the TNI. One of them is about the number of TNI soldiers deployed to Papua.

"Many soldiers have planned to be assigned to Papua, but until now there are still fewer, so he sent 2.900 soldiers as the basis for making the Koramil and I forget that," said Bobby.