Head Of BNPT Affirms Papuan KKB Terror Fulfills Criminal Terrorism Offenses

JAKARTA - The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) reiterated that the terror and violence perpetrated by the Papuan Armed Criminal Group (KKB) fulfill the offense or element of a criminal act of terrorism.

"In the Terrorism Law, it regulates the connection with crime issues that have ideological, political, and security disturbance motives," said BNPT Head Komjen Pol Boy Rafli Amar in Jakarta, Tuesday, February 14, as reported by Antara.

Therefore, he continued, the actions, violence, or crimes committed by the KKB in Papua fall into the category referred to in the law on terrorism.

In other words, Boy said Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning Amendments to Law Number 15 of 2003 concerning the Stipulation of Government Regulations in Lieu of Law Number 1 of 2002 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism Into Law can be imposed on every member of the Papuan KKB, because there are articles of criminal offenses.

The former head of Papua Police and Banten Police said that Indonesia has had laws that regulate terrorism crimes since five years ago.

Boy said that until now there have been many individuals who used to be members of the Papuan KKB, but are aware of and have returned to the bosom of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). Nevertheless, he did not mention how many Papuan KKB members returned to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

To invite, embrace, or make the KKB Papua aware, he added, the Government, especially the BNPT, has various ways, one of which is by implementing a counter-narrative strategy.

The counter-narrative was distributed by the state with the aim of countering the narrative of separatism spread by groups, such as the KKB Papua.

"So, the counter-narrative is that we voice love for peace," said the 1988 graduate of the Police Academy (Akpol).

He further said that the BNPT had formed or recruited 50 individuals in West Papua and 50 people in Papua Province to spread peace-loving narratives.

"This is aimed at fighting separatist narratives. So, don't let the public go along with it," he said.