"With only four battalions guarding the border, it`s easy to smuggle in guns," Habelino said.Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Papuan University Students Movement (GMPI) has requested that local police again compile an inventory of gun ownership by civilians in Indonesia`s eastern most province of Papua.
The security authorities must address security problems by establishing an inventory of firearms ownership in Papua, GMPI Chairman Habelino S Sawaki said here Thursday.
He made the statement following shooting incidents in Papua during the last few months.
Sawaki suspected that guns had been smuggled into Papua over the Papua and Papua New Guinea border. The border stretches some 800 km and is guarded by four battalions of soldiers.
"With only four battalions guarding the border, it`s easy to smuggle in guns," Habelino said.
The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and the National Police must be able to deal with shooting incidents in order to create peace in Papua, he noted.
He also asked the Papuan people to help security officers maintain security and peace.
A number of shooting incidents have occurred in several locations in Papua in the past few months, with the latest on June 6 at the Cenderawasih University compound.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked chief security minister Djoko Suyanto to examine the cause of the problems in Papua that have led to a number of violent acts in the region recently.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
