Mimika Military Commander: Hostage-taking in Jila is an inhuman act

Timika (ANTARA) - Commander of Military District Command 1710/Mimika, Lieutenant Colonel Infantry Jozanda, said the hostage-taking and forced abduction of nine women in Jila District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua, carried out by an armed group, was an inhuman act.

Lieutenant Colonel Infantry Jozanda said in Timika on Thursday that the actions of the group were cruel and inhuman.

“Taking young women by force and even shooting their parents when they tried to prevent their daughters from being taken. This is a very inhuman act,” he said.

He said that efforts to pursue the armed group are currently being carried out by TNI-Polri personnel in the field.

“May the TNI-Polri soldiers serving there be granted ease and safety in carrying out these duties,” he said.

TNI personnel will also continue to coordinate with the local government to send food aid to residents in Jila District who are currently experiencing food shortages.

“Tomorrow we will support a helicopter to drop food because the residents there are traumatised and have not been farming since the incident, so food supplies have dwindled,” he said.

TNI-Polri personnel, together with the government, will continue to pay attention to residents in the area. “We remain concerned for the community and will not abandon them. We are here for them,” he said.