OPM Attack Intensity Increases, Mahfud MD: Take G20 Momentum To Attract Foreign Attention

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD assessed that the Free Papua Organization (OPM) was seeking attention in the midst of the G20 Summit by increasing the intensity of their attacks.

He suspects that a number of attacks carried out by the separatist movement are solely to steal the world's attention as an effort to liberate Papua.

"Our impression is that the OPM always takes momentum to attract attention abroad. The President is currently abroad and meeting with G20 figures. Now, the OPM is taking advantage of that momentum," Mahfud told reporters, Monday, November 1.

However, the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) is sure that this effort will not produce any results considering that there is no discussion on the issue of separatists in Papua.

Mahfud said the international community currently has other focuses that will be discussed in each meeting agenda. One of them is related to saving the environment for the welfare of the community.

"In official international institutions, the issue of Papuan separatism is never on the agenda. The international community sees Papua as other regions, for example, the problem of saving the environment and people's welfare. It is not about disintegration," he said.

Even so, Mahfud emphasized that his party always monitors the latest developments in Papua, including the movement of the separatist group. He always listens to these developments from the Police, TNI, and the State Intelligence Agency (BIN).

Not only that, he also always asks the TNI and Polri to take measured actions so that civilian casualties do not continue to fall.

"As the public knows, the POLRI and TNI have been very careful to protect civilians. However, you know that the OPM always attacks from behind and uses civilians as shields and victims," he concluded.