DPR Hehan Benny Wenda Suddenly Participating In Mixed Matter Lukas Enembe

The inactive Papua Governor Lukas Enembe after being delivered to the KPK building, Jakarta Thursday, January 12. (Tsa Tsia-VOI)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission I DPR Golkar faction Dave Laksono admitted that he was surprised that Papuan separatist figure, Benny Wenda, suddenly defended the inactive Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, who was detained by the KPK in connection with the alleged bribery and gratification of infrastructure development projects. Benny defended Lukas by asking the Indonesian government to release the Democratic Party politician. Dave considered Benny's strange attitude because while positioning himself as an opponent of the Indonesian government. "Benny Wenda is clearly the opponent of the government. They are pushing for division, why can they beg from the government?" said Dave to reporters in Jakarta, Friday, January 13.

According to the defense commission member, Benny Wenda should have submitted instead of comments that could raise tension during the current situation.

Because, said Dave, Benny and his organization are the causes of the chaos and divisions that occur in Papua.

"If they want to ask for anything, they should return to Indonesia to surrender. He is clearly the main actor in the chaos in Indonesia. He is the leader of the divisions in Papua. So don't ask, he should surrender to be prosecuted," said Dave.

Dave assessed that rioters in Papua must be eradicated as directed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). "The president yesterday said to act decisively. Of course, those who clearly take up arms must act decisively, and must be eradicated," he said.

Moreover, said Dave, so far the separatist organization in Eastern Indonesia has harmed the Papuan people.

"This OPM always hides behind the Papuan people. They shoot at soldiers, they burn the school, the Puskesmas. Well, it's all destroyed. Well, the result is the general public's loss," added Dave.

Previously, Benny Wenda wrote a tweet on his social media account asking the government to immediately release Lukas Enembe. He also said that the accusation of Lukas having committed corruption was wrong.

"Indonesia must immediately release Governor Lukas Enembe, who has been detained for alleged wrong corruption. Governor Enembe is paralyzed and requires emergency medical attention. When he was detained by Indonesian authorities, his life was in danger," wrote Benny in English on his social media account on Wednesday, January 11., then.

Benny himself is known to be a Papuan citizen who applied for political asylum to Britain and was granted by local authorities in 2002. The BBC news agency in 2019 reported that Benny and his wife, Maria, and six children lived in Oxford City