"The government has decided to prioritize economic development and welfare improvement for the people in Papua. However security disturbances that have often occurred in the region may not be allowed to continue," Yudhoyono said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said security disturbances may not be allowed to go on in Papua although the government has already changed its approach from security to welfare to tackle problems in the eastern region.
"The government has decided to prioritize economic development and welfare improvement for the people in Papua. However security disturbances that have often occurred in the region may not be allowed to continue," he said at his office here on Friday.
He made the statement following recent security incidents in Papua in which eight military personnel and four civilians had been killed.
He said the government has taken various policies and carried out action programs to replace the security approach it used to use to tackle problems in the region with a welfare approach, including allocating and distributing budgets and a number of measures to improve the living standards of the people there.
He said sovereignty and territorial integrity must be maintained. "Social security conditions must be maintained and laws must be enforced," he added.
Coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs Djoko Suyanto said eight military personnel had been killed one after a military post in Tingginambut, Puncak Jaya, and others after 10 personnel from Sinak sub-district military personnel in Puncak district were ambushed and killed while on the way to Sinak airstrip to fetch logistics and radio packages from Nabire.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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