Police Ensure No Red And White Burning In Wamena Papua, Flag Falls Due To Broken Pole

Jayawijaya Police Chief, AKBP Muh Safei. ANTARA/Marius F Yewun

WAMENA - The Jayawijaya Police Team, Papua, confirmed that there was no burning of the Red and White flag in Wamena. The news circulating on social media was confirmed by the police as a hoax.

Jayawijaya Police Chief, AKBP Muh Safei, said that the national emblem that was hoisted in the yard of the Jayawijaya Regency Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) office fell because the flagpole was broken after the red and white flag straps on the pole were pulled by demonstrators some time ago.

"What happened was that neither burned nor ripped. What actually happened was that the flag fell because the flagpole was broken", he said as quoted by Antara, Monday, June 6.

He said he was at the scene and witnessed the incident. According to the Police Chief, the demonstrators who came to the DPRD made speeches while running around the flagpole.

Several individuals who ran on the edge of the pole then pulled the flag strap, causing the flagpole to break at the top and the flag to fall.

"I was at the location and after the pole broke, I asked the brother in charge to take the flag and hand it over to me, then I handed it over to the Deputy Chief of Police, the Deputy Chief of Police, then the Deputy Chief of Police, handed it over to the DPRD", he said.

In addition, the Police Chief confirmed other false information on social media and stated that the flag was forcibly lowered, and the flagpole was lifted by the demonstrators.

"Actually, there was a group of people who circled there and then pulled the flag string, causing the flag pole to break from the weld so it hung", he said.

The police have invited the person in charge of the demonstration to clarify whether the incident is on the agenda for the demonstration or not.

"Because many videos are circulating like that, this must be clarified, especially since there was an incident that made the situation in Jayawijaya feel tense", he said.

The police confirmed that in the next two days another summons would be made because until now no one in charge of the demonstration has appeared before the police.

"If three times invitations are made but they are not present, they will be made to search again with orders to bring. Not arrest but bring along with a summons, then we will take them for questioning", he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Criminal Investigation at the Jayawijaya Police, AKP Matinetta, said that when the incident occurred, a police report was immediately made and an invitation to the coordinator to clarify but the person concerned had not arrived.

"This is still at the investigation stage, so we only made an invitation for clarification, but there has been no response", he said.

He confirmed that evidence in the form of a broken flagpole tip had been secured at the Jayawijaya Police Headquarters.