Papua military exercise opposed<\/p>\n
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua<\/p>\n
Army soldiers began a four-day military exercise in Biak Numfor
\nregency, Papua, on Monday, but it immediately sparked protests
\nfrom students and a human rights group in Jayapura, the capital
\nof the troubled province.<\/p>\n
Dozens of students from Biak Numfor staged a rally at the
\nPapua legislative council, urging the Indonesian Military (TNI)
\nto stop the training exercise, which were causing anxiety.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators, grouped in the Association of Biak Students
\n(Himaba), argued that the military exercise, being held in the
\nhamlet of Yomdori in West Biak subdistrict, would frighten local
\npeople.<\/p>\n
\"The presence of TNI troops in Yomdori will cause trauma among
\nlocal people because West Biak was once the target of a military
\noperation aimed at finding separatist rebels belonging to the
\nFree Papua Organization (OPM),\" protest leader Adolof Baransano
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the military operation in West Biak, home to OPM
\nleader Matias Awom and his supporters, had often led to violent
\nabuse, such as extra-judicial killings and rapes.<\/p>\n
\"Eye witnesses of the violence in West Biak by security
\npersonnel are still alive. Therefore, the presence of TNI troops
\nto conduct military drills will spark trauma for residents
\nthere.\"<\/p>\n
Adolof questioned the motives of the military to hold it in
\nsuch a location, which is home to civilians. \"The military
\ntraining prevents local villagers from working on their farmland
\ntoo.\"<\/p>\n
A similar protest was also lodged by the Institute for Human
\nRights Study and Advocacy for West Papua (Els-Ham), a respected
\nPapuan-based non-governmental organization.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Els-Ham director
\nAlosyus Renwarin said the military exercise made people in Biak
\nNumfor quite apprehensive.<\/p>\n
\"If such anxiety grips local people, it means there is no
\npeace there, although all elements of Papuan communities have
\nagreed to declare Papua a peace zone,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yance Kayame, who chairs Commission A at the Papua legislative
\ncouncil, said the protests were too late as the Army soldiers had
\nbegun the exercise.<\/p>\n
\"The Army drills started today but you are just lodging a
\nprotest today. It makes it difficult for the council (to respond
\nto),\" he told the protesting students.<\/p>\n
\"If we ask them (TNI) to discontinue the exercise, it would be
\nnot so easy for them to accept, because they have already brought
\nequipment and logistics to the field,\" Yance added.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he said the council would convey their protest
\nto the Trikora military commander and monitor the military
\nexercise so as not to victimize civilians.<\/p>\n
Trikora Military Commander Maj. Gen. Nurdin Zainal, in charge
\nof military affairs in Papua, said the exercise was to improve
\nthe troops' \"stamina and skills\" in battle.<\/p>\n
\"Such an event is normal for soldiers ... There are no other
\nmotives behind it. Through the exercise, soldiers will be able to
\nget more comfortable with their roles when they are called upon
\nto defend the country from their enemies,\" Nurdin said.<\/p>\n
He said he had spoken about the military exercise with Papua
\nGovernor Jaap Salossa, who he said had responded positively.<\/p>\n
The plan to hold the exercises had also been disseminated to
\nlocal people beforehand, Nurdin claimed.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/papua-military-exercise-opposed-1447893297",
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