Social communication is a part of the TNI's territorial guidance that is necessary to strengthen its relationship with various elements of society at large, General Perkasa argued.
Promoting good and effective social communication with local communities in the two provinces would help build collective understanding and togetherness for maintaining Indonesia's sovereignty, he told a virtual TNI meeting, broadcast on his Youtube channel on Sunday.
"All working units of the TNI headquarters in Papua and West Papua now become task forces of military district commands with respective sub-district commands. There are also air force and naval base task forces," he said.
The task forces of the Indonesian Army's military district commands will carry out territorial guidance and social communication with communities in the two eastern Indonesian provinces, General Perkasa added.
"We see the geographical and demographic aspects as well as social communication," he said during the virtual meeting with commanders of the XVII/Cenderawasih and XVIII/Kasuari Regional Military Commands.
The air force base task force will explore the territorial guidance related to aerospace potential and social communication, while the naval base task force will be responsible for exploring the territorial guidance related to maritime potential and social communication, he informed.
General Perkasa was sworn in by President Joko Widodo as the TNI commander on November 17, 2021, in place of Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, who reached the retirement age of 58 on November 8, 2021.
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According to observers, Papua will pose a challenge during Perkasa's leadership as armed conflicts are still occurring in Papua and West Papua despite the central and regional governments making efforts to improve the welfare of local communities by intensifying regional development.
Papua has borne witness to a spate of violence against civilians and security personnel in the past few years.
Intan Jaya recorded its bloodiest month in September 2020, with notorious armed groups launching a series of attacks that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians and left two others injured.
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The armed groups continued their acts of terror in 2021, too.
On April 25, 2021, Papuan separatists operating in Beoga ambushed State Intelligence Agency (Papua) chief I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha and several security personnel during their visit to Dambet village.
Nugraha died of gunshot wounds sustained in the attack. (INE)
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Translator: Genta TM, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
