Jayapura, Papua – The Papua Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Patrige Renwarin, announced that 16 districts in two provinces under the jurisdiction of the Papua Police have been classified as high-risk areas for security concerns during the upcoming regional elections.
“All districts in Papua Pegunungan and Central Papua provinces are categorized as high-risk in terms of security,” stated Police Chief Renwarin during a press conference in Jayapura on Wednesday.
This classification comes after a review of increased security threats in the area over the past two years. Previously, districts such as Yahukimo, Pegunungan Bintang, and Yalimo were not included in this category. However, ahead of the regional elections, all districts in the Papua Pegunungan and Central Papua regions have been marked as potential security risks.
Additionally, the Papua Police have identified several polling stations (TPS) that are under special risk due to possible disturbances from armed criminal groups (KKB). For these high-risk areas, the local government has been advised to coordinate with election organizers to relocate polling stations to safer locations.
To ensure the safety of the elections in the Papua region, the Papua Police have deployed 10,417 personnel. These officers will be stationed across the region and will collaborate with local police forces, said Police Chief Renwarin.
The Papua Police jurisdiction covers four provinces: Papua, Central Papua, South Papua, and Papua Pegunungan.
