"The pre-duty training for personnel of the task forces of district military commands, naval and air force bases, and border security task forces in Papua and West Papua is important enough," he said.
Speaking at a meeting with military officers to discuss the pre-duty training material, which was broadcast on Youtube on Sunday, Perkasa said that the training program will last 12 days.
The pre-duty training materials are related to the TNI's territorial guidance for army, navy, and air force units, 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.
According to observers, Papua will pose a challenge during Perkasa's leadership as armed conflicts are still occurring in Papua and West Papua though the central and regional governments are making utmost efforts to improve the welfare of local communities by intensifying regional development.
To strengthen the military's relationship with various elements of society in Papua and West Papua, Perkasa has emphasized the importance of social communication.
Social communication has also become a part of TNI's territorial guidance and is among the priority programs assigned to the working units of TNI headquarters in the two easternmost provinces, he said.
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 Youtube on January 2, 2022.
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 armed groups launching a series of attacks that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians and left two others injured.
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.
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Translator: M.Zulfikar, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
