Gov't Slows Papua's Internet Access to Subdue Spread of Hoax

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo) on Tuesday, August 20, has once again slowed down the internet performance in a number of locations in Papua, mainly across Sorong and Jayapura.

“We revoked the [internet control] when things improved last night. But earlier this morning we received information that a mass-demonstration was about to take place in Sorong, and acting accordingly to police’s requests, we slowed the internet access in Sorong City and areas in Jayapura,” says acting-chief of Kominfo’s public communication bureau, Ferdinandus Setu on Tuesday, August 20.

According to Ferdinandus, the government’s action will be revoked again once signs of improvement arise.

He says the government had to implement this strategy to limit the spread of hoaxes and fake information that will potentially worsen the situation in the eastern region of the country.

This government’s deliberate control over a region’s internet speed was first applied in the region on Monday to stop the spread of fake information regarding the hoax of a Papuan who died by the hands of police members and another hoax that stated police forcefully abducted two food delivery couriers intended for Papuan university students.

A similar strategy was also applied in an attempt to subdue the public riot in the country’s capital city that is now known as the May 21-22 Jakarta riots.

CAESAR AKBAR | ANTARA