TNI/Police Strategy To Handle KKB In Papua Must Change Drastically, Says DPR Member

The bodies of the victims of the KKB shooting in Nduga, Papua from NTT arrived in Labuan Bajo, Monday (18/7/2022) (ANTARA/Fransiska MN)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR) Sukamta asked the Indonesia Army (TNI)/Police to change the approach to eradicating Armed Criminal Groups (KKB) in Papua so that they do not spread and disturb the public.

According to him, so far the TNI/Police have tended to be defensive by protecting vital objects and building security posts. Now it has to change. It's time for the TNI/Police to hunt KKB to their nests.

"Law enforcement must also prioritize the role and involvement of civil society to avoid mistargeting", said Sukamta when confirmed in Jakarta, Tuesday, July 19, quoted from Antara.

Sukamta stated that this was related to the KKTB's actions that shot 11 residents of Nogolait Village, Nduga, Papua, which left 10 people dead.

This member of the DPR RI sees the need for the TNI/Police to carry out a "war" of public opinion because there are nine KKB groups consisting of around 150 people.

Meanwhile, according to him, the Papuan KKB members who are hiding or doing doctrinal, opinion-raising, and the numbers have not been mapped.

"Steps for mapping and handling the ideology of Free Papua must also be done so that new members of Free Papua do not appear", he said.

It was also emphasized that the formation of public opinion by the government must be based on data, facts, events, and conditions in Papua.

In addition, he continued, the information must be open, clear, and honest so that it is not used by Free Papuan groups operating in raising public opinion.

"Currently there is an effort to form an opinion that the TNI/Police are committing human rights violations in Papua. Information regarding crucial events in Papua must be conveyed openly, clearly, and transparently so that the public knows and believes that the TNI/Police are acting by the law", he said.

The disclosure must also be disclosed if there are elements of the TNI/Police acting outside the corridor of law enforcement. This, he said, must be dealt with firmly.

This step, according to Sukamta, is to make the people of Papua, the people of Indonesia, and the world believe in the Indonesian government.