National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said the riot that had erupted in Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya District, on Monday, was incited by a premeditated dissemination of fake news to instigate an act of solidarity among native Papuans.
To this end, Wenda's role, right from creation to the proliferation of fake news containing fake racist slurs against the native Papuans, was clear, Prasetyo had stated in Jakarta on Monday (Sept 24).
"As a figure of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Benny Wenda's role behind this design cannot be overlooked," he revealed, adding that the police had conducted a thorough examination of the KNPB members over their role in using students to provoke community members.
ANTARA noted that on July 17, 2019, the Oxford City Council had bestowed the so-called Oxford Freedom of the City Award on Wenda, who had been involved in spurring violent acts that had resulted in the deaths of civilians and Indonesian security personnel in Papua.
This political move has outraged the Indonesian government, as it was presented to the wrong person.
The Indonesian Embassy in London contended that the award was bestowed on an individual, who is a proponent of the use of violence to realize his political goals.
The Indonesian Embassy in London questioned the basis on which the award was given to those called "peaceful campaigners for democracy" in the face of glaring evidence linking those concerned with various acts of armed violence in Papua.
The award will, in fact, give legitimacy to the concerned individual and his group to intensify their acts of violence against civilians and government officials, who maintain the sustainability of economic, social, and cultural development in Papua, according to the embassy.
Hence, awarding people, with criminal records through armed separatist movements, demonstrates the dismal understanding of the Council and the actual progress in development in the provinces of Papua and West Papua.
This action by the Oxford City Council has yet again hurt the sentiments of Indonesians. Related news: Indonesian police examine link between violence in Wamena and Jayapura
Related news: President orders authority to tackle Papua unrest: Moeldoko
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Dyan DA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
