Biak, Papua (ANTARA) - The police in Biak Numfor District, Papua Province, detained 60 motorcycles and seized 10 sharp weapons during a traffic crackdown meant to secure the area ahead of the inauguration of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin on Sunday, a police officer said on Tuesday.

Motorbikes were detained because the motorists failed to show valid documents to the traffic police, Biak Numfor Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner, Mada Indra Laksanta, said.

The secure and peaceful condition of Biak Numfor is expected to continue, he said, adding that all residents are encouraged to maintain peace and security in the district.

Over the past two months, a spate of violence broke out in several parts of Papua and West Papua in the upshot of the Surabaya incident and fake news that had triggered public ire among native Papuans.

On August 28, violence broke out in Deiyai District, some 500 kilometers away from Jayapura, resulting in the deaths of an army soldier and two civilians.

Protests were again held on August 29 by the indigenous Papuan residents of Jayapura, as they vented their ire over the alleged racist behavior against their Papuan compatriots in Surabaya, but their rally then turned violent.

On September 23, a deadly riot had erupted in Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya District, Papua Province, killing 33 civilians, including a senior medical doctor, who had served the native Papuans for 15 years.

In response to this recent Wamena rioting, a Papuan priest has appealed to incumbent President Joko Widodo to hold a dialogue with the representatives of all Papuan community groups to find solutions to crucial problems in the province after he was sworn in as Indonesia's president on October 20.

The Papuan people are keen to have a discussion within the spirit of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia as the central government had done in Aceh Province, said Esmon Welilo, a priest who is also chairman of the Interreligious Harmony Forum (FKUB).

"We do hope that the dialogue can be held during his second leadership term," he said.

Esmon Welilo said Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is the first Indonesian president who has made 12 working visits to the Papua Province, including three times to Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya District.

Under Jokowi's leadership, it is time for the central government to hold a dialogue to seek comprehensive solutions to the problems in Papua, he said, adding that he believed that all the Papuan people would keep supporting the government's programs.

The call for holding a dialogue with President Jokowi had been echoed by West Papua Governor, Dominggus Mandacan, on September 12, 2019. Related news: Police name 94 suspects in Papua violence cases
Related news: Papua's crucial problems challenge Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin administration


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Translator: Muhsidin, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
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