Minister Pigai Deploys Team to Monitor Post-Conflict Situation in Adonara, East Nusa Tenggara
Minister of Human Rights (HAM) Natalius Pigai has deployed the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Regional Office of the Ministry of Human Rights to directly monitor conditions following clashes between residents in Adonara, East Flores. The move is a rapid government response to the Adonara conflict, which has claimed lives and caused material damage.
In his official statement in Jakarta on Sunday (19/7), Pigai explained that the field team is tasked with obtaining a comprehensive picture of the situation on the ground. This identification is crucial for determining strategic steps to support the reconciliation process and the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Pigai emphasised that handling the conflict in the area requires a specific approach. Based on his experience, he assessed that culture-based solutions are far more effective than mere law enforcement or policing approaches.
“Based on our experience handling cases there, we assess that an approach through cultural solutions is far more effective than policing,” Pigai said.
According to him, involving traditional leaders and using dispute resolution mechanisms that have long existed within the local community will be better able to rebuild trust between residents. This is also seen as a strong preventive step to avert the recurrence of similar conflicts in the future.
The findings of the NTT Ministry of Human Rights Regional Office monitoring team will serve as a data basis for coordinating with the regional government, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and other relevant stakeholders.
The Ministry of Human Rights affirmed its commitment to continue overseeing this incident to ensure it is resolved in accordance with human rights principles and to provide a sense of security for affected residents. Pigai expressed hope that the situation in Adonara can quickly return to normal so that community activities resume as usual.
According to provisional data from the Ministry of Human Rights, the clash that broke out on Saturday (18/7) resulted in at least three deaths and dozens of residents’ houses being burned to the ground.
The Ministry of Human Rights is currently maintaining intensive coordination with security forces and the regional government to ensure that the handling process proceeds in a conducive manner while continuing to uphold humanitarian values.
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The government, through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), will rebuild residents’ houses that were burned as a result of an inter-village conflict in West Adonara, NTT.
Following the bloody clash between residents of two villages on Adonara Island, NTT, dozens of joint TNI-Polri personnel carried out intensive operations against homemade firearms in the Ile Pati village mountain area.
The inter-village conflict that occurred on Monday (21/10) caused two deaths, four injuries, and 51 houses burned.
The Head of Operations at the NTT Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Deonijiu De Fatima, together with the East Flores Chief of Police, Police Grand Commissioner I Nyoman Putra Sandita, took part in distributing 250 food and drinking water packages to the community.
The Acting Governor of East Nusa Tenggara, Andriko Noto Susanto, arrived on Adonara Island, East Flores Regency, on Wednesday (23/10), following the inter-village clash in West Adonara District.