Including Firmly Armed, Commander Yudo Explains 3 TNI Security Approaches In Papua

TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono. (Between-Aprilio Akbar)

Panglima TNI Laksamana Yudo Margono mengatakan pihaknya menggunakan tiga strategi pendekatan dalam menangani situasi keamanan di Papua.

"The TNI is still carrying out operations there in the context of civil order and carrying out police duties because they prioritize law enforcement. Then, we carry out this through three approaches," said Admiral Yudo at the DPR Building, Jakarta, Thursday, February 2.

Yudo explained that the first approach was to use a soft approach, namely an approach through territorial development and social communication.

Furthermore, the second approach, he said, was to use a culture approach, namely an approach to religious leaders, community leaders, and youth leaders.

"We carry out activities such as treatment, social service, and so on. This is specifically for areas where we value the level of security as still conducive," he said.

Then, the third approach uses a hard approach, namely an approach through firm operations used in areas with a high level of vulnerability when dealing with armed criminal groups (KKB) and terrorist separatist groups.

"We are implementing it firmly, armedly; because we are military forces who face firefighting, yes we will carry it out firmly. But still, if caught, we will hand it over to the police for legal proceedings," he explained.

He also said that he had mapped the level of vulnerability of regions in Papua to adapt to the approach that the TNI would use in the area.

"There we mapped it, so that we also regulate which soldiers carry out soft, culture, and which soldiers carry out hard approaches," he said.

Yudo emphasized that the security of the people in Papua is important to put forward. The six-month humanitarian break agreement was also signed by the Government of Indonesia through Komnas HAM with the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) on November 15, 2022.

"When there is no guarantee of security for the community, what is the point of carrying out a humanitarian break? We know yesterday that it was declared a humanitarian break? There are still fires, shootings, there are still firefights," he said.

He said that what was conveyed in the joint working meeting with Commission I of the DPR regarding the current security situation and conditions in Papua Province was the result of his direct visit to Papua.

"I have to come to Papua to see the conditions and situations directly, both my soldiers and communication with community leaders and figures there," said Yudo.

In a working meeting between the TNI and Commission I of the DPR at the Senayan Parliament Complex in Jakarta today, it was also discussed regarding the current security situation and conditions in Papua, as well as meeting the needs of the TNI's main weapon system (defense equipment).