TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Logistics company JNE said the internet block in Papua and West Papua over the past week has caused a significant decline in shipments to the area. The government has blocked the internet in the two provinces since Wednesday, August 21.

"The number of packages sent to Papua has decreased by 50 percent," JNE head of marketing communication division Doedi Hadji Sapoetra said in a written statement sent to Tempo, Thursday, August 29, 2019.

According to Doedi, internet access restrictions prevented people from shopping online or conduct e-commerce activities.

However, Doedi said, there is no significant decline in outbound shipment from Papua. The company is still able to take orders and deliver them.

"As with JNE's commitment, the shipping process continues and we are doing our best, even though our service right now requires additional delivery time."

Earlier, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said that he received many protests from business people regarding internet restriction. But he said there is nothing he could do but comply with the central government's policy.

"Many complaints. That is why we hope that all sides of information can be accessed," he said at the Presidential Office in Jakarta, Monday, August 26.

Lukas said that the situation in Papua is generally improving. If another student rally happens, he believes that the authorities in Papua can handle it.

Meanwhile, Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara said he doesn’t know when Papua will get their internet access back. The ministry, he said, has found more than 230,000 URLs posting and spreading hoaxes related to incidents in Papua.

Most of the hoaxes, he said, were found on Twitter. "There are fake news, lies, posts inciting hate and anger, and the worst case is the posts that aim to pit one party against the other," he said.

When traced, Rudiantara added, the posts came from many locations—not just Papua.

Rudiantara hopes that things will return to normal immediately so that his ministry can bring the internet back to Papua. He apologized to all parties affected by this policy.

CAESAR AKBAR | AHMAD FAIZ