Wiranto: Gov’t Ensures Security in Wamena

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto delivers a press statement at his office, Jakarta, Friday (4/10). (Photo by: Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs)

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto has urged the public not to leave Wamena, the capital city of Jayawijaya Regency in Papua, and to continue to live there.

According to him, the Government will continue to do everything in its power to ensure security to the people in the area.

“We, the security forces, the police, and the national defense forces (TNI) will continue to do our best to ensure security so that this trauma can be neutralized and the people can return to work as usual,” Wiranto told reporters at his office, Jakarta, Friday (4/10).

Security guarantees, Wiranto added, were also given by local figures and traditional leaders so that the people did not join an exodus and continued their lives there.

On average, migrant community members from Minang (an ethnic group indigenous to the Minangkabau Highlands of West Sumatra) and South Sulawesi, Wiranto stated, have sustained the economy in the affected areas through trading. Therefore, if an exodus does occur, economy can be stagnant and disrupted, he said.

“We ask for the awareness of the people of Wamena and the affected areas to realize this so that the migrant communities,  who play an important role in the economy in the area, can also be provided with security guarantees,” Wiranto said.

Wiranto expressed hope that people who are engaged in social media can help control the situation and help the community to immediately neutralize the trauma caused by the riots.

The Minister also assured that t security forces still continue to pursue rioters, adding that the attacks were carried out by armed criminal groups (KKB).

He also stated that the armed groups received direct instruction from Benny Wenda to attack migrant communities and to provoke riot in several cities. (Biro Hukum, Persidangan, dan Kelembagaan Kemenko Polhukam/ES)

Translated by : Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Edited by : M. Ersan Pamungkas