Deputy Chief of Papua Police, Brigadier General Police Paulus Waterpauw (Jubi)
Jayapura, 20/3 (Jubi) – The Papua police denied accusations that the police did not take action to stop tribal clashes in Jayanti Village of Kuala Kencana Sub-district in Mimika.
“It’s not true. The police even continued its efforts to prevent the clash everyday and to end the conflict. We have proof that a member of Brimob was hit by an arrow,” Papua Deputy Police Chief Brigadier General Police Paulus Waterpauw said on Thursday (20/3).
He further said those who criticized the police should directly came to the scene to see the real facts. Police have arrested six suspects from Moni and Dani tribes who were currently being detained at the Mimika Police detention facility.
“But the number can increase. The police are planning to arrest and investigate war leaders who continue to provoke their rival groups outside of Mimika Regency. It was what we did to solve the tribal war in Jayawijaya in 1986,” said Waterpauw.
Meanwhile the Gospel Church Synod (Kingmi) of Papua urged the police to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of clashes that have broken out since January 29 in Mimika.
“Arrest and prosecute them because tribal war is illegal under Indonesian law,” said the Rev. Benny Giay, Chairman of Kingmi Synod.
He said he suspected that police have an ulterior motive to let the conflict to continue.
“The Mimika region has a strategic economic value because it’s located in the area of PT Freeport Indonesia,” he said.
Nine people have been killed and many houses damaged since clashes broke out in January. (Jubi/Arjuna/rom)
