Police Chief: TNI-Police Evacuate 198 People from Kali Musairo Mining Site

Jayapura (ANTARA) - Nabire Police Chief AKBP Samuel Tatiratu said that 198 people comprising artisanal miners and employees of PT Kristalin, including 26 Chinese nationals, had been evacuated from the gold mining site at Kali Musairo, Legari, Nabire, Central Papua.

AKBP Samuel Tatiratu told Antara on Sunday that the evacuation was carried out to anticipate further attacks by armed criminal groups (KKB).

Previously, on Saturday (21/2), a KKB group led by Aibon Kogoya attacked PT Kristalin’s security post, resulting in two fatalities.

Regarding the evacuation, AKBP Samuel Tatiratu said the Chinese nationals employed by PT Kristalin were first registered at the Makimi Police Station after being evacuated and were immediately housed at the company’s accommodation in Sriwini, Nabire.

“The evacuation proceeded safely, but TNI-Police personnel remain on standby and alert,” said Nabire Police Chief AKBP Tatiratu.

According to him, sweep operations to evacuate artisanal miners believed to still be in the area between Kilometre 40 and Kilometre 50 would be carried out on Monday (23/2) by the Damai Cartenz Operations Task Force.

The sweep operations are being conducted to locate and evacuate the miners to protect them from disturbances by armed criminal groups.

“Hopefully they are safe, particularly from disturbances by the KKB,” he said.