Jayapura, Jubi – The people of Beoga District in Puncak Regency said the situations in Beoga were gradually improving a month after the shooting of two teachers and arson of schools by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). The people can now access health services. Schools, however, are still closed.
“For now, there are two nurses and a midwife serving patients coming from various villages,” a Beoga resident who refuses to be named told Jubi on Monday, May 10, 2021.
Meanwhile, the teaching and learning activities in Beoga currently rely on a few Indigenous Papuan teachers who stay. After the shooting that killed two teachers on April 8 and 9, many teachers including some Indigenous Papuan teachers and all non-Papuan teachers have fled Beoga.
“All non-Papuan teachers went to Timika. [Currently] in Beoga there are only a few Indigenous [Papuan] teachers. Some of the Papuan teachers also took refuge after the shooting of two teachers in Beoga,” said the Jubi source.
He hoped that the Papuan teachers would return to teach at Beoga soon. “Especially for Papuan teachers, please go back soon,” he said.
He added that the absence of teachers in Beoga had affected the admission of new students. “The junior high school and high school have yet to open admissions for new students. School activities have not been going well, the students don’t study,” he said.
Meanwhile, a resident in Ilaga, another district where the armed conflict escalated the past few months, who were contacted by Jubi on Monday said that Ilaga’s situation was also gradually improving as there had been no gunfire between the TPNPB and the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police throughout Monday. “However, most of the refugees [are still] at the house of the Head of the Puncak Social Agency,” he said.
Reporter: Hengky Yeimo
Editor: Aryo Wisanggeni G
