We all hope and pray for peace and stability in Papua. To this end, we continue to encourage all parties concerned to hold dialog
Timika, Papua (ANTARA) - A top politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDIP) in Papua appealed to all parties to intensify dialog to seek peaceful solutions to the Papua issue since protracted armed conflicts would only cause more casualties.

"We all hope and pray for peace and stability in Papua. To this end, we continue to encourage all parties concerned to hold dialog," Acting Chairperson of the PDIP-Papua Office, Ignasius Hasim, noted in a statement that ANTARA quoted in Timika on Monday.

Hasim expressed concern over a spike in violent conflicts in several districts, including Intan Jaya, Puncak, and Nduga, as they had resulted in deaths and sufferings of not only those involved in gunfights but also innocent civilians.

Indonesia's top security minister, Mahfud MD, had recently highlighted the government's priority to seek peaceful solutions to the Papua issue, although it will continue to crack down on armed Papuan terrorist groups that have threatened most Papuan communities.

Law enforcement operations are ongoing against armed terrorists to stop their acts of violence against 92 percent of the Papuan communities that are the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia's (NKRI's) loyalists, according to Mahfud MD.

"Some 92 percent of the Papuan communities are NKRI's loyalists based on the outcome of a survey," Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD noted in a press statement that ANTARA quoted in Jakarta on May 26, 2021.

Outcome of the recent survey, conducted jointly by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) along with universities and several other credible institutions, revealed that 82 percent of the respondents openly supported Indonesia's special autonomy draft bill.

Furthermore, 10 percent of the respondents spoke of going ahead with whatever was decided for Papua's greater good, while eight percent of the respondents directly rejected the continuation of Papua's special autonomy, according to Mahfud MD.

Those rejecting the continuation of Papua's special autonomy could be divided into the political, clandestine, and armed wings.

"What we are now facing are members of the armed group that have disrupted the security of 92 percent of Papuan communities (that are the loyalists of NKRI)," he noted.

Over the past few years, Papua has borne the brunt of a string of deadly attacks by armed Papuan terrorist groups targeting innocent civilians in districts, such as Puncak and Intan Jaya.

The armed groups often employ hit-and-run tactics against Indonesian security personnel while unleashing acts of terror against civilians to trigger fear among the people.

Ojek drivers, teachers, students, and street food vendors, among others, have fallen victims to their terror acts. They had also attacked civilian aircraft.

Related news: Papua police awaits Densus 88's church attack plot probe results

Related news: Some 82 percent Papuans favor special autonomy status: Mahfud

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Translator: E.Supar, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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