Jayapura, Papua, (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian police in Puncak Jaya District, Papua Province, continued probing into the murder of Sugeng Efendi, a kiosk keeper in Wuyukwi Village, Mulia Subdistrict, on Saturday evening (Feb 2), a police spokesman said.

"The investigation into this murder case is still underway," Chief of the Puncak Jaya Police Adjunct Senior Commissioner Agustinus Ary Purwanto told Antara here on Sunday when questioned about the Sugeng Efendi murder case.

The police investigators attempted to disclose the case by questioning witnesses, he said. Sugeng, 25, was shot dead by an armed Papuan rebel on Saturday evening.

Following the shooting incident, Commander of the Puncak Jaya Regional Military Command Lt.Col.Agus Sunaryo said the situation around Mulia Subdistrict areas remained conducive, and local residents did their routine activities without fear.

In early January, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Martuani Sormin had warned that armed Papuan rebels would likely remain a serious security threat in certain areas of the central mountain range of the Indonesian province of Papua.

The police have attempted to approach the armed groups to end the circle of violence but the effort has yet to yield success, he remarked while responding to local journalists` questions on this year`s security situation in Papua Province.

However, owing to the presence of army and police personnel in the areas of the central mountain range that might potentially be threatened by what the police call "armed criminal groups," or "KKB," the frequency of security disturbances can be reduced.

Sormin said those responsible for administering the areas are the governor and heads of districts, and the armed forces and police personnel could not conduct their duties without their support.

Hence, in dealing with these security threats, he proposed that the "Regional Leadership Communication Forum," or "Forkopimda," be activated, so that necessary solutions can be sought together to all problems occurring in the regions.

For those posing security threats and disturbances, the police will enforce the law against them, he noted, adding that the perpetrators would eventually be caught.

On December 2, 2018, a group of armed Papuan rebels had brutally killed 31 workers from PT Istaka Karya, who were engaged in construction and building the Trans Papua project in Kali Yigi and Kali Aurak in Yigi Sub-District, Nduga District, Papua Province.

Reporting by Alfian Rumagit, Rahmad Nasution

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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