Mahfud Md to Papua Task Force: Do Not Get Provoked

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Security Mahfud Md held a meeting with the task force of the Indonesian Military (TNI), National Police, and the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) during his working visit to Timika, Papua, on Wednesday, July 22.

Mahfud appreciated the performance of the team in maintaining the security, order, and unity of the Republic of Indonesia. However, he asked them to prioritize the legal approach, and not lose temper at provocations issued by various parties.

“I know that your work is hard, but I suggest to act cautiously, don't be incited into taking actions that violate human rights. Let us protect this country wholeheartedly, and not be provoked by other parties,” said Mahfud in a written statement on Wednesday.

He acknowledged that the current tasks of the TNI and Polri would be tougher as they also have to focus on handling the COVID-19 pandemic, including in Papua.

“We face three challenges. [First,] in the west, foreign intervention in the North Natuna Sea. [Secondly,] in the eastern, Papua, issues of security disturbances by armed criminal groups,” added Mahfud.

The rest, the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court continued, is in the center which was spread across the country’s regions: a threat to the integrity of ideology, or in other words, radical movements.

In talks of Papua development, Mahfud Md claimed the government was preparing a more comprehensive Presidential Instruction (Inpres), in which the control will be under the National Planning and Development Agency (Bappenas) so that the region’s progress will be more integrated while applying the welfare approach.

Read: Military Justify Shootings of Nduga, Papua Men; TNI: Separatists

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