Wiranto Calls on Indonesians to Unite against Benny Wenda

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Wiranto, has seconded the statement of Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko, who alleged that Papuan separatist leader Benny Wenda was the mastermind behind the riots in Papua and West Papua.

“I think it is true that Benny Wenda took part in the conspiracy,” said Wiranto at his office on Monday.

Wiranto thus called on the government to fight back against the separatist’s instigations by revealing the facts behind the widespread Papua unrest.

He also accused Benny of spreading false narratives overseas by suggesting that the Indonesian government failed to pay attention to West Papua and Papua as a whole.

“[He talks] as if we have abandoned [Papuans] and violated human rights on a daily basis, such as torture and murders, but all of that is impossible [to take place],” said Wiranto.

Earlier, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko openly accused Benny of orchestrating the Papua unrest.

Meanwhile, as quoted from Tempo English Magazine, September 2-8 edition, the interview with Benny Wenda entitled “No Room for Democracy in Papua” reveals that he instructed Papuans to refrain from participating in the Indonesian independence annual celebrations on August 17.

“I did write a circular several weeks before the Indonesian independence day celebrations. The contents urged Papuans not to join the ceremonies. But the demonstrations in Surabaya, which spread to Papua, were spontaneous. It was the Papuan people who acted,” said Benny Wenda in the exclusive interview with Tempo English Magazine.

ANDITA RAHMA