MPR Chair Asks Papuan Police To Investigate Ammunition Suppliers To Papuan KKB

Bambang Soesatyo/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The chairman of the MPR RI Bambang Soesatyo (Bamsoet) asked the Papuan Police to conduct an investigation related to allegations of civilians as suppliers of ammunition for armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua.

"We ask the Papuan Police to investigate in order to dismantle the ammunition supply network," said Bamsoet in a written statement in Jakarta, Wednesday.

Bamsoet also asked the authorities to give strict sanctions to the person who supplied ammunition to the KKB, in addition to continuing to try to find out the motive or background as well as the intellectual actors behind it.

He asked for commitment from the apparatus, both TNI and Polri, to immediately resolve the problems related to the KKB, by narrowing the space for movement and continuing to carry out in-depth investigations to uncover the entire network of ammunition and firearms suppliers to the KKB.

"At the same time digging information ranging from sources of funds to financial transaction activities of the alleged perpetrators who have been secured," he said.

The chairman of the MPR reminded the Papuan Provincial Government and the TNI/Polri to maintain security in Papua, in particular to quell the actions of the KKB, including breaking the supply chain for weapons and the flow of funds.

"This is necessary in order to narrow the space for the KKB, which often carries out armed terror acts that are troubling the Papuan people," he said.

Previously, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation of the Papua Regional Police recaptured a civilian in connection with allegations of supplying ammunition to armed groups in Papua.

"It is true that on Saturday, July 2, we arrested LT, a resident of Jayapura who is suspected of being the distributor of ammunition to M, the ASN who was arrested in Yalimo," said Direskrimum Polda Papua Police Sr. Comr. Faizal Rahmadani, Tuesday, July 5.

He said that the arrest of LT was the result of an investigation into M, an ASN from Nduga Regency. LT was in charge of handing over ammunition obtained from two members of the Indonesian Army.

"The two members of the TNI AD have been detained by the Military Police of Kodam XVII/Cenderawasih," said Rahmadani.

According to him, the two civilians who have been detained are still being investigated to reveal their network.

M was arrested in Elelim, Yalimo Regency, along with 615 bullets of various calibers, which were to be supplied to the Nduga armed group led by Egianus Kogoya, who is currently suspected of being short of ammunition.