Building the public toilet in Naira Village, which administratively belongs to Airu Sub-district in Jayapura District, is part of the 120th TNI Manunggal Masuk Desa (TMMD) Community Service Program, according to the Indonesian Military (TNI) press statement published here, Monday (May 20).
The TMMD Program is the continuation of ABRI Masuk Desa (AMD), which is TNI's community service program, introduced and routinely carried out during the leadership era of Indonesia's second president, Suharto.
The availability of the public toilet would hopefully help villagers improve their quality of life amid a lack of basic sanitation facilities in the village, 120th TMMD Task Force commander, Major Afandi, stated.
Apart from building the comfortable public toilet, the TMMD personnel also launched a public awareness campaign to help the villagers get familiarized with a clean and healthy lifestyle, he remarked.
The public awareness campaign was carried out by collaborating with those from the district's health office and other government agencies, he added.
As reported earlier, Indonesian soldiers in Papua are required to multitask amid the government's incessant efforts to bridge the regional development gap between Papua and other provinces.
Soldiers deployed in the Papua region are required to be responsive in seeking solutions to problems and challenges faced by Papuan communities in their daily lives.
They are also expected to play the role of problem solvers for local communities amid their central task to defend the country's territorial integrity and guard the safety of Indonesians.
The geopolitical and geostrategic position of Papua, which shares land and sea borders with Papua New Guinea, occupies a significance in matters of Indonesia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Over the past few years, soldiers stationed in the region have been facing security threats posed by armed Papuan separatist groups operating in several districts.
Despite the security-related challenges, soldiers have actively engaged in community service activities, highlighting their commitment to supporting local populations.
Several personnel of the Indonesia-PNG Border Security Task Force, for instance, have been assisting locals through community services, such as voluntary teaching, mobile libraries, and street cleanup programs.
Related news: Papua: Soldiers provide free health services to villagers
Related news: Prioritizing soft approach toward armed Papuan groups: TNI
Translator: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
