West Papua Governor Urges Residents to Help Capture Killers of Military Soldiers
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5 September 2021 21:53 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Maybrat, West Papua - West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan has appealed to residents of Kisor Village in South Aifat Sub-district, Maybrat District, to assist security personnel to capture the killers of four Indonesian military soldiers.
Mandacan who visited the crime scene on Saturday also called on the Kisor villagers who flee their homes in panic and take refuge in the forest to return home and resume their normal life.
"The villagers do not need to panic or take refuge in the forest because the government works with the military and police to ensure public safety and security," he said.
In the early hours of Thursday (Sept 2, 2021), members of an unidentified terrorist group ambushed several soldiers while they were sleeping at the Kisor military post of South Aifat Sub-district, West Papua Province.
Four soldiers—2nd Sergeant Amrosius, Chief Private Dirham, First Private Zul Ansari, and First Lieutenant Dirman died in the attack while two others sustained serious injuries.
The bodies of three soldiers were found at the post, while another was discovered in the bushes not far from the post.
Governor Dominggus Mandacan said the presence of a joint team of Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police personnel in several villages was not aimed to frighten the villagers.
Instead, they were striving to find the perpetrators who had slain and inflicted serious injuries on the soldiers, he said, adding that he does believe that the security personnel would not disturb public security.
He also appeals to all residents of Maybrat to remain united in maintaining peace, and law and order to continue regional development programs in the district.
"I also urge them not to let themselves get persuaded by any party with counterproductive goals for West Papua's regional development," he said.
On the sidelines of the governor's visit to the Kisor military post, Commander of the XVIII/Kasuari Regional Military Command Mj.Gen. I Nyoman Castiasa and West Papua Police Chief Insp.Gen.Tornagogo Sihombing pledged to guarantee the public safety and security in Maybrat District.
"Our mission is to hunt down and arrest the perpetrators. So, members of communities need not be afraid of our presence because we are there to defend and protect the people," Castiasa said.
The assault on the Kisor military post in West Papua has added to the list of cases of armed violence in Papua and highlighted the grave danger posed by armed Papuan separatist terrorists.
Read: Attackers of Military Soldiers in West Papua Arrested
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