Papua- Knowing that the armed criminal group or KKB continues to disturb. Not only targeting security forces, but recently civilians have also become targets. Not to mention the clashes between the authorities and the KKB where civilians often became victims.
Referring to data from the Cartenz Peace Operations Task Force, a joint TNI and Polri operational task force in Papua, throughout 2023, there were 209 incidents of armed criminal and political violence in the Papua region. From this incident, 79 people died, consisting of 37 civilians, 20 TNI soldiers, 3 Polri members and 19 KKB members. The death rate due to this conflict increased compared to the previous year. During 2022, 53 people died.
The conflict was still visible as the years passed. According to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), in the period March to April 2024, there were at least 12 incidents of violence in Papua. This violence not only targets TNI/Polri members, but also civilians. Of the 12 incidents, four civilians and five TNI/Polri members were injured. Then eight people died, consisting of five TNI/Polri members and three civilians. Not only that, two women became victims of sexual violence.
A pilot from New Zealand, Glen Malcolm Conning, was involved in the brutality of the KKB. The helicopter pilot who worked for PT Intan Angkasa Air Service died after being shot by KKB in Alama District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province, early August 2024.
The government has not remained silent watching the never-ending conflict in Papua. In a written interview with the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto, the government was said to have made various efforts, including security operations, infrastructure development, and dialogue to bring about peace in Papua.
“In terms of a security approach, security operations in Papua to deal with the KKB, especially in vulnerable areas, such as the Central Mountains of Papua, are claimed to have succeeded in suppressing the KKB’s actions even though armed conflict in several areas is still continuing,” he explained.
Furthermore, based on data collected by the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, throughout the first semester of 2024 (January-June), the number of cases of violence perpetrated by the KKB decreased to 29 cases from the previous year. This reduction has a positive impact on security stability, and allows the government to focus more on improving public services and increasing public trust and sense of security.
In addition, on September 21, the government together with security forces succeeded in freeing Susi Air pilot, Philip Mark Mehrtens, from the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) led by Egianus Kagoya using a soft approach.
“The success of the release of the Susi Air pilot was an extraordinary success, especially using a system without any military operations involving the use of firearms. “I emphasize that the government in the future must use a soft approach to every problem in Papua and solve it with law enforcement,” he said.
He emphasized that future handling of armed criminal groups must involve law enforcement against perpetrators of armed violence and their actors, both armed criminal groups and security forces.
“Enforcement of this law will reduce the intensity of armed violence,” he said.
