"This is proof that there are still people who want to kill people involved in development. This is an unscrupulous act," Panjaitan stated in Jakarta on Tuesday.
However, he acknowledged that he had not yet received the complete information on the incident which befell the bridge construction workers. He did not know whether the workers were guarded by the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) personnel.
"I do not know whether there were military personnel or not. When I look at the incident, it seems that there was no one. If there were personnel, it should not have happened," the minister remarked, after giving a speech at the National Seminar on "Innovation-Based Development in Industrial Era 4.0."
He noted that the government would not go backward no matter whatever (terror attacks) happen to hinder the efforts to carry out development.
On Dec 2, 2018, 31 workers from PT Istaka Karya, who were engaged in construction and building the Trans Papua project, were killed by the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) in Kali Yigi and Kali Aurak in Yigi Sub-District, Nduga District, Papua.
Reporting by Aji Cakti
Editing by Andi Abdussalam
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
