Wamena Rusuh, Golkar Legislator Critic Mahfud MD, Who Claims Papua's Condition Is Fine

The masses burned kiosks and houses of residents in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Mountains. (photo: intermediate dock)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives Christina Aryani, highlighted the riots in Wamena, Papua which caused 12 deaths. In this incident, the police arrested 13 people who were suspected of being the trigger for riots due to hoaxes in child kidnappings. Aryani then criticized the statement by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD who claimed Papua's condition was in good condition after the inactive Governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe, was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). According to him, what has happened in Papua recently should be a government record. "We remind the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, who some time ago conveyed that Papua was relatively calm after the arrest of Lukas Enembe. Unfortunately, the facts on the ground at this time did not confirm this statement," Christina said in a statement, Monday, February 27. The Golkar legislator emphasized that the government must thoroughly investigate the trigger and find intellectual actors behind the chaos that occurred last Thursday. Because according to him, many riots in Papua are often triggered by the spread of fake news or hoaxes and are trusted by the public. "In our notes, this pattern continues to repeat itself in other incidents in Papua, spread hoaxes, provocations, and create riots," said Christina. For information, the National Police detained 13 people in the aftermath of the riots that occurred in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Mountains on Thursday, February 23. The number of victims who died after the riots in Yomaima Village, Napua District, amounted to 12 people. A total of 10 victims were local residents, while 2 victims were migrants. Previously, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD on Monday, January 16, then stated that Papua's security conditions were under control after Lukas Enembe was arrested by the KPK. In fact, Mahfud denied Komnas HAM's report that there was an increase in the excalation of violence in Papua. Mahfud also claimed that the arrest of Lukas Enembe was heavily supported by Papuans. "Yes, I don't know, the report on when Komnas HAM was reported, instead there was no excalation of violence," said Mahfud at the Merdeka Palace.