Central Papua's Puncak Jaya Regency Election Was Chaotic

Victims of disputes between candidate pairs in Mulia, Puncak Jaya Regency, were evacuated to Jayapura (doc. Antara).

JAKARTA - The Indonesian General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) is still investigating the trigger for the chaos in the Regional Head Election (Pilkada) of Puncak Jaya Regency, Central Papua, resulting in arrows and burning of houses.

"I don't know (the trigger). It needs to be checked with friends (Bawaslu ranks) because it's just a call from friends in Puncak Jaya. So, we have to confirm the data again," said the Chairman of the Indonesian Bawaslu, Rahmat Bagja, during a press conference at the Indonesian Bawaslu Office, Jakarta, Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

Bagja said that the mass movement occurred between supporters of the regional head candidate pair in Puncak Jaya Regency. The election was carried out with a noken system and a vote had been carried out.

"Conditions in Central Papua are still moving between supporters, arrows are still happening. Hopefully there will be no casualties for Puncak Jaya Regency," he said.

Bawaslu is still investigating whether or not there was an action to collect ballots or ballot boxes.

In addition, Bawaslu will also check the conditions at the scene to determine whether or not a re-voting (PSU) is necessary.

"They asked for this PSU, we have to first check the evidence or the reasons for conducting a PSU for such a case. For example, did a ballot or ballot box really occur?"

"That's still not confirmed because we are calling friends in Central Papua to go straight down there," he said.

The chairman of Bawaslu hopes that this condition will not spread and cause casualties. Even if they meet the requirements, the PSU will issue a recommendation.

"Hopefully nothing will happen and no PSU will happen. If something happens that becomes the basis for a strong PSU, we will have to do a PSU. Bawaslu recommendations to conduct a PSU," said Bagja.

Reports from the Papua Police

The Papuan Police revealed that there was a case of supporters of one of the regional head candidate pairs (paslon) in Puncak Jaya Regency who took away the 2024 Pilkada ballot box.

"There are reports related to supporters of one of the pairs of candidates for regional heads who took away the ballot boxes," Head of Public Relations of the Papua Police, Kombes Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo, in Jayapura, Wednesday, November 27.

Ignatius Benny said Puncak Jaya Regency, Central Papua, was one of the districts that carried out elections using the noken system.

"The local election logistics that were taken away belonged to five villages and two sub-districts in Mulia District," he said.

He mentioned the incidents of the Pilkada logistics that were taken away, between in Birak Ambut Village, Wuyukwi, Pepera, Towogi, and Wuyuneri Village, as well as two villages, namely Pagaleme and Wuyukwi Villages.

Benny further said that the supporters who took away the ballot boxes also threatened the local KPU members because when they carried out their actions, the supporters carried traditional weapons of war.

"The supporters had threatened by bringing traditional war tools such as arrows and others so that the commissioners of the Puncak Jaya KPU were afraid and they immediately took the box away," said Kombes Benny.

In addition to the issue of ballot boxes being taken away, there was no death toll between supporters in the Pilkada of Puncak Jaya Regency.

This was confirmed by the Papuan Police Chief, Inspector General of Police. Patrige Renwarin, on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

"No one died, but from the reports received it was revealed that three people were evacuated to Jayapura for better medical treatment," said Inspector General Pol Patrige in a statement received.

Although no one died, about 40 houses were burned and 94 people were injured as a result of a dispute between supporters of the candidate pair in Puncak Jaya Regency, Central Papua.

From the reports received, disputes between candidate pairs in Puncak Jaya Regency have occurred since the serial number was taken by the General Election Commission (KPU) Puncak Jaya.

"In fact, Wednesday morning it was reported that one of the supporters of the regent and deputy regent candidates took away the ballot boxes, causing mutual action," Patrige said.

The Papua Police Chief further said that communication with the two regional head candidates with the KPU and Bawaslu is currently being carried out so that attacks do not spread further.

The Head of the Puncak Jaya Police and his staff until Wednesday night local time tried not to spread the dispute and cause casualties.

Meanwhile, the Pilkada in Puncak Jaya Regency was attended by two pairs of candidates for regent and deputy regent, namely the Yuni Wonda 'Mus Kogoya pair and the Miren Kogoya 'Mendi Wonorangga' pair.