"In view of the dynamics of the events there, the TNI (military) is now on heightened alert. The illegal raising of the separatist OPM (Free Papua Organiztion) flag continues to happen there . We must be balanced (in seeing the facts)," Djoko said at the presidential palace here on Tuesday.
He admitted he was concerned over the shooting incidents that had claimed the lives of civilians in Timika and also a local police commander in Mulia district recently.
"We deplore the shooting of the Mulia sector police chief and three civilians in Timika recently," he said.
Djoko called on the public to also understand that armed separatist elements there had also committed acts of violence. So, "do not only report about violence by the state`s apparatus. This is real. An officer has been attacked. Community members have been attacked. So, if police/TNI forces chase them, people must not connect it with other issues" he said.
Minister Djoko said all of the incidents were still under investigation and no information had been received so far that they were linked to separatist elements abroad.
He said alertness had indeed been increased.
The chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Marciano Norman, meanwhile said that the agency was continuing to work hard to help solve the incidents and prevent them from recurring.
"Regarding the problem in Papua we are still working hard to overcome it. We maximally tried to prevent them from recurring. In connection with the problem in Timika all parties need to strive to make the management and employees find an agreement," he said.
Employees of PT Freeport Indonesia have been on strike to demand a pay raise. Recently they clashed with security forces causing deaths.
On the shooting of the Mulia police sector chief to death Norman said that based on indications so far it was a pure crime.
"It is a pure crime in which the criminal took the chief`s gun and with it shot the police chief to death. We must increase alertness," he said.
(T.P008*D013/H-YH/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
