OPM Criminal Action, Central Papuan Bibida Community Forced To Evacuate To Madi Paniai Church

The Bibida District Community in Paniai Regency, Central Papua, fled to Madi Church, East Paniai District. BETWEEN/HO-Komando Operations TNI Habema

PAPUA - Operations Command (Koops) of the Habema TNI said that the people of Bibida District, Paniai Regency, Central Papua, fled to Madi Church, East Paniai District after the Free Papua Organization (OPM) carried out a criminal act on Tuesday, June 11. The Commander of the TNI's Koops Media Task Force Habema Lt. Col. Arh Yogi Nugroho said that the people of Bibida District submitted a request for truck assistance belonging to the security forces to temporarily evacuate to Madi Church, Madi Village, East Paniai District. "The community and the entire community support the operation of prosecution by joint security forces against OPM in this area in order to create mutual security and order," he said in a release received in Timika, Antara, Monday, June 17. According to him, the community supports the legal action taken by the joint TNI/Polri apparatus because they want the area to be safe and conducive from all forms of threats and disturbances to the OPM. "The community support of Bibida District for joint security forces is a form of cooperation and unity in order to create a safe and conducive Papua," he said. Lt. Col. Arh Yogi explained that the joint apparatus managed to seize the Bibida District, Paniai Regency on Friday, June 14 from the OPM disturbance led by Undius Kogoya. "The security forces managed to control the Bibida District area on Friday, June 14, 2024, after the OPM carried out a criminal act on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, which claimed lives on behalf of Rusli, who is 40 years old," he said again.

Local community leaders together with the community stated that the OPM took arbitrary and heinous actions that they were happy to take the produce of gardens, livestock, and even girls. "Unrespectful and inhumane acts are often carried out by OPM in real terms to intimidate local people," he said.