PGI Head: Do Not Easily be Provoked by Issues on Wamena

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) head Rev. Albertus Patty called on Indonesians to not be influenced easily by circulating issues related to the situation in Wamena, Jayawijaya, Papua Province without acknowledging the facts. This, Albertus said, could worsen the situation.

“Do not easily be affected by issues which heating up the situation and accuse anyone without knowing the clear facts. If we are influenced by that, we are carrying out the agenda of the intellectual actor that could harm ourselves,” said Albertus in a statement in Jakarta, Sunday, September 29.

According to him, the truth commonly becomes one of the things to be sacrificed during this situation. 

Therefore, he demanded all to refrain themselves from being emotional and maintain calmness to prevent from carrying out wrongful moves that potentially destructive. He also asked the government, especially security officers and the public to stay thinking rationally and wisely.

Albertus expressed his concern about the tragedy in Wamena that claimed dozens of lives and caused many people to flee to safer areas.

However, he also warned that the riots could trigger anger from other regions and lead to the disintegration of the nation.

Albertus noted that there was an attempt to bring conflict between locals and migrants who were living in harmony thus far. The riots were also aimed at undermining the integration and harmony of the nation and destroying the good name of the government under President Joko Widodo or Jokowi.

“In the meantime, we pray and hope that the government can shortly control the situation in Wamena and arrest the main intellectual actors who initiated the riots there," Albertus Patty said.

ANTARA