Army Chief Of Staff Guarantees Papua's Security During The 2024 Election Even Though The Situation Is Up And Down

Army Chief of Staff General Maruli Simanjuntak (right) answered reporters' questions during a press conference after the Christmas celebration with the Indonesian Army in Jakarta, Monday (5/2/2024). ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi.

JAKARTA - Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak guarantees that Papua will be safe during the 2024 General Election even though the situation sometimes goes up and down.

Apart from that, Maruli reiterated that the situation in Papua is still under control.

"Yesterday, we received a report on the timing of the apple (which was attended) by the TNI Commander that the Pangdam (military district commander) there had conveyed that the situation was safe under control. Until now, there are no significant obstacles. We can still do it," Maruli said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, February 5.

In an assembly for the security readiness of the 2024 TNI Election at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base earlier this month, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto received reports from several Pangdams, including one of the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Commander Major General Izak Pangemanan.

Izak conveyed to the Commander in general the situation in Papua ahead of the vote on February 14, 2024, was safe and under control, as well as sending election logistics which as of February 1, 2024 had reached the district level.

"In general, the situation ahead of the election is safe, unless lastly there will be a post in Intan Jaya, but we can control everything," said Izak.

He also said that the logistics for the TNI election would help deliver to TPS-TPS, including those located in remote areas and difficult to reach around D-3 and D-4 before voting.

"Everything has no problem unless there are some areas that must be reached by air so we will take into account weather conditions to reach the area, but in general we can reach everything," he said.

There are more than 6,000 TNI soldiers who were deployed to help the National Police secure the Papua region during the 2024 General Election stage. Of that number, 4,579 soldiers from the land dimension, 2,055 soldiers from the TNI task force in Papua, and from the air and sea dimensions 78 soldiers each.

Regarding the situation in Intan Jaya, which was mentioned by the Cenderawasih Military Commander, it referred to the shootout between the OPM and TNI soldiers at the Intan Jaya Regent's Office on January 29, 2024.

Then, on Sunday (4/2), the OPM also cut off access to the Trans Sugapa-Titigi road in Intan Jaya. The separatist group dug up a 1.5 meter long road with a depth of two meters.

Related to that, the Army Chief of Staff said that the TNI had anticipated various security threats in Papua during the 2024 General Election.

The Papuan situation will continue to go up and down. However, we have made a lot of programs that I think are quite influential in Papua, including the use of actually not to defense equipment, we use technology more to anticipate so that government program security can run well. That's what we put forward, especially territorial activities to help the community," said Maruli.