Papua Internet Block, Kominfo Explains the Controversial Move
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27 August 2019 08:17 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) Minister Rudiantara said that he does not know when the internet block currently imposed in Papua will end and argued that there are more than 230,000 URLs that are still spreading hoaxes in the midst of Papua’s tense political climate.
The minister explained that the most hoax contents are found spreading via Twitter.
“There are blatant lies, provocative information. The worst are those that try to bring people into conflict,” said the Minister at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday, August 26.
As of the perpetrators behind the hoax-spreading machine, the minister claims many of them can be traced back to Papua.
Other than publically apologizing to residents affected by the ministry’s controversial policy, Rudiantara said he prays for the region to return conducive which will enable his ministry to revoke the policy to cut internet access in Papua and West Papua.
He maintained that the government saw an urgency in imposing the policy and despite seen as a basic human rights violation, the government feels inclined to suppress the spread of negative contents.
Papua Governor Lukas Enembe along with a number of environmental activists have urgently pressed Indonesia’s central government to revoke the internet block.
AHMAD FAIZ
