"We have empowered Babinsa and local community members to improve relations between communities and anticipate security risks," said Sorni Paskah Daeli, Acting Deputy for Equitable Regional Development and Disaster Mitigation at the ministry, on Wednesday.
One of the challenges in distributing aid to Puncak, which is experiencing extreme weather and crop failures, is the security situation, Daeli informed.
National Defense Forces (TNI) personnel will be deployed to districts affected by famine, including Agandugume, he said.
They will also secure the airport runway in Agandugume to facilitate the smooth delivery of logistics, he added.
"TNI has been authorized to establish a static command in Agandugume, where starving Papuans are located," he said.
The government will soon improve airports in Central Papua so that they can accommodate larger aircraft. Currently, the runways are short and can only be used by smaller aircraft.
"In the medium to long term, we will widen the runways so that larger aircraft can deliver aid to the affected areas," Daeli said.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy will visit Central Papua again to assess the progress made in overcoming famine.
"In the future, the minister will return to Puncak district to assess the progress made by TNI and the local government," he informed.
The government has been working to optimize aid delivery to affected areas in Puncak by repairing airport runways and constructing food warehouses.
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Translator: Asep F, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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