Papua Police Urge Conflict Resolution Without Inter-Tribal Warfare

The Papua Regional Police (Polda) has urged the public to resolve conflicts without inter-tribal warfare by prioritising the values of brotherhood, humanity, and the applicable legal mechanisms. Papua Police Chief Inspector General Patrige R. Renwarin stated in Wamena on Thursday that resolving any issue should emphasise brotherhood and humanity without triggering inter-tribal warfare. “We from the police hope that in resolving conflicts, warfare is no longer used because it causes casualties; instead, use other methods without eliminating cultural values,” he said. According to him, brotherhood and human values must be placed above all else because inter-tribal warfare is no guarantee for solving social problems. “We are all brothers, so inter-tribal warfare should no longer be used to resolve a problem because it can create new issues,” he stated. Patrige explained that a conflict that occurred some time ago in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, was triggered by a traffic accident. He therefore urged the public to be careful when driving and to obey traffic regulations to prevent accidents that could potentially spark conflict. Furthermore, the Police Chief invited the public to resolve every issue through the positive legal mechanisms in force in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. “We support all efforts to resolve conflicts in Papua Highlands by prioritising positive law so that problems can be resolved more effectively,” he said.