Police Chief: 104 Manggelum District Residents Displaced Due to Fear of Armed Criminal Group

The Chief of Boven Digoel Police, Assistant Commissioner Wisnu Putra Perdana, stated that 104 residents of the Manggelum District have evacuated to Tanah Merah due to fears regarding security disturbances caused by the armed criminal group (KKB). Speaking from Jayapura, Papua, on Sunday, Wisnu noted that the hundreds of residents, including children, have reached Tanah Merah, the capital of Boven Digoel Regency in South Papua, after fleeing their villages by motorboat. Upon their arrival in Tanah Merah on Saturday (6/6), personnel from the Boven Digoel Police welcomed the residents and provided humanitarian assistance. “They are displaced because the security situation in the area is not conducive following the arrival of the KKB, who were also reported to have burnt health facilities in the region,” said Wisnu. Before arriving in Tanah Merah, the refugees passed through the Kouh District, which assisted in securing their journey. “Currently, they are being housed in the Boven Digoel Police headquarters hall in Tanah Merah,” Wisnu added. The Police Chief further noted that health officials have conducted medical examinations on the residents. The Boven Digoel Police are continuing to coordinate with the Boven Digoel Regency Government, the Kodim (Military District Command), and relevant agencies to ensure that the security, safety, and basic needs of the displaced persons are adequately met. “We are also continuously coordinating with the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) and the Boven Digoel Local Government regarding the security situation in the Manggelum District, aiming to restore stability so that the community can return to their villages and carry out their daily activities safely and comfortably,” the Police Chief concluded.