Papuan Police Chief Denies Riots Due To Lukas Enember's Body Similar To The 2019 Jayapura Riots

The 172/PWY Korem Dormitory in Waena Jayapura is suspected of being burned by the chaotic mass of the Lukas Enembe corpse, Thursday, December 28. (ANTARA-Polresta Jayapura City)

PAPUA - Papua Regional Police Chief (Kapolda) Inspector General (Irjen) of Police (Pol) Mathius Fakhiri emphasized that the chaos of the accompaniment of Lukas Enembe's body could not be equated with the riots that occurred in 2019.

The riots that occurred in 2019 in Jayapura began with the issue of racism and a demonstration that ended in chaos.

"However, the incident that occurred last Thursday (December 28) was related to traditions or habits that should no longer be carried out at this time," he said during a year-end reflection in Jayapura, Papua, Sunday, December 31, which was confiscated by Antara.

He said the riots when the community accompanied the former Papuan governor's body to his residence in Central Koya on foot had been infiltrated by a group that had been fighting to separate Papua from the Republic of Indonesia.

As a result, there was a fire that scorched 25 houses, shop houses and health services belonging to Korem 172/PWY in Waena, besides that a number of buildings were damaged due to being thrown. Acting Governor of Papua, Ridwan Ruikutun, and several soldiers and police were injured and even a member of the National Police had to be treated intensively at Bhayangkara Hospital, Kotaraja. "Alhamdulillah, his condition, including the Acting Governor of Papua, Ridwan Ruikutun, is gradually improving," he said.

He added that in the future the Papuan Police together with all elements of society will provide an understanding so that similar cases do not happen again, namely destroying and attacking residents. "Let's work together to maintain security in Papua," he invited. The Governor of Papua and the convict of the corruption case Lukas Enembe died at the Jakarta RSPAD on Tuesday, December 26. His body was then flown to Jayapura to be buried in Central Koya on Friday, December 29.