They were moved to Timika to receive health and education services for their children, in particular, and to get food as well as other basic needs, Senior Commissioner AM Kamal, spokesman of the Papua Provincial Police, said here on Monday.
The 803 people are indigenous Papuans who live in the two kampongs located near Tembagapura.
They were transported by 11 buses of US copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia and tightly guarded by military and police personnel grouped in an integrated task force.
"They are temporarily accommodated in Eme Neme Yauware Building in Timika," Kamal revealed.
Inspector General Boy Rafli Amar, head of the Papua Provincial Police, earlier stated that Banti tribal chief and religious leaders had asked the task force to evacuate hundreds of residents of their kampong to Timika in order for them to receive medical and education services as well as daily food.
They, along with the inhabitants of several other kampongs, had been taken hostages by the criminal group over the last three weeks and have been deprived of medical and education services. Teachers and paramedics had left the kampongs amidst intimidation by the criminal group.
The integrated task force had coordinated with PT Freeport and the Mimika District Administration regarding accommodation and facilities for the evacuees while staying in Timika.
The armed criminal group had earlier taken 1,300 civilians as hostages in the Kimbeli, Banti, and several other kampongs for around three weeks.
On Friday (Nov 17), the integrated security task force managed to take control of the security situation in Kimbeli and Banti.
"The security task force, led by Commander of the Papua Mobile Brigade, recaptured the Kimbeli and Banti villages at 9:30 a.m. local time," Head of Public Information of Indonesia Police Brigadier General Rikwanto noted in Jakarta on Friday.
The hostage evacuation process was conducted between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. local time amid the shooting incident.
A total of 344 people were part of the first batch of freed hostages. They were evacuated to the Tembagapura Sector Police Office.
Of the 344 people, 104 were men, 32 women, and 14 children from Kimbeli Village and 153 men, 31 women, and 10 children from Longsoran Village.
The police have identified 21 members of the armed group that are believed to have conducted the hostage-taking act.
reported by Evarianus Supar
(T.SYS/A/KR-BSR/A/H-YH)
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
