Wiranto on Snake Terror at Papuan Students Dorm: Mere Provocation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto said the rumored snake terror at the Papuan students’ dormitory in Surabaya was attempted provocation.

“That is an attempt to create conflict between us, this will continue to occur. They do not favor safe conditions,” said Wiranto during a press conference in his office, Monday, September 9.

He dismissed rumors about the terror of snakes at the students’ dormitory on Jalan Kalasan 10, Surabaya today morning. “It did not happen. We will address this,” he asserted.

Previous reports suggested that unknown motorcyclists had thrown bags of snakes to the students’ dormitory--one of which was filled with a 15-20kg python.

According to the Papuan community’s spokesman in the dormitory, Alince Takege, they managed to catch the slow snake, while the other three snakes ran to the gutter as the bags were opened.

“We were scared because the snakes were quick. We don’t know whether they were poisonous or not, we are still hunting them down,” said Alince.

One of the students claimed to have seen several people monitoring the dormitory from 20 meters away when the bags were thrown. Yet he did not recognize them. “One of them was using binoculars,” he said.

The regional police have yet to confirm the rumored terror against the Papuan students in Surabaya.

HALIDA BUNGA FISANDRA