Police Officer Kneels and Pleads with Warring Communities in East Nusa Tenggara
A community police officer with the Manggarai Police (Polres), Aipda Arladius Modestus Arno, recounted how he knelt down with hands clasped, pleading with two warring groups of residents from Gendang Kaca and Gendang Bung Leko along the Trans Flores road in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday, 16 March.
“The situation at that time was escalating, and the two groups were unwilling to resolve the matter peacefully,” he said when contacted by ANTARA news agency from Kupang on Wednesday.
His fellow police officers had also attempted various approaches to prevent the confrontation from escalating further and resulting in casualties. Arno spontaneously knelt down whilst crying, beseeching both groups to cease their conflict.
According to Arno, the two warring groups were residents under his jurisdiction, as both areas fell within his area of operation. “For me, they are my brothers and sisters. Often during my duties, they invited me to eat at their homes, we shared stories and gathered together,” he said.
Upon witnessing the conflict, he felt disappointed and saddened. He thus spontaneously pleaded for the conflict to end. His actions caused the youth conflict in the area to halt. However, Arno assessed that the conflict ceased not solely because of his actions but because other police officers also assisted.
“To this day, tension still exists in that area; I hope it improves soon,” he added.
Kombes Pol. Henry Novika Chandra, Head of Operations at the NTT Regional Police, stated that the Indonesian National Police always prioritise persuasive and humanistic approaches when addressing potential conflicts within communities. According to him, the presence of police officers at the incident location is purely to maintain security and protect all members of the public without taking sides with any particular group.
“In situations with potential for conflict, our personnel in the field consistently prioritise dialogue and humanitarian approaches. The objective is to prevent violence from occurring and ensure public safety remains the top priority,” he said.
He further added that the police have issued appeals to all residents not to be easily provoked by issues that could trigger conflict, and have encouraged all parties to maintain brotherhood and peace in the Manggarai area.
The incident in Bula Village serves as a reminder that behind the uniform worn by police officers, they are not only present as law enforcement personnel but also as peacekeepers endeavouring to quell conflicts with conscience.