Happening Again, Security Officers Sell Weapons to Papuan Armed Groups

The alleged involvement of security officers in the selling of weapons to armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua has happened again and this time the act allegedly involves unscrupulous members of the National Police.

POLRES BINTUNI

Evidence of weapons and ammunition from Ambon, Maluku, which was confiscated by the Bintuni Police, West Papua, on February 3, 2021.

AMBON, KOMPAS — Two policemen from the Maluku Police were arrested for allegedly selling two guns and 600 rounds of bullets to an armed criminal group in Papua. A team from the National Police\'s Profession and Security Division has been deployed to Maluku to investigate the case implicating the two policemen who were assigned to the Ambon Island and Lease Islands Police.

In this case, four people whose identities have not been revealed were also arrested.

"We’re still in the examination stage. Many parties are involved. The police are still gathering information,” said Maluku Police Public Relations Head Comr. M Roem Ohoirat in Ambon, Monday (22/2/2021).

The case emerged when on Feb. 10, members of the Bintuni Police, West Papua, arrested the alleged perpetrators. They sold a standard revolver and an assembled SS1 long barrel rifle.

Many parties are involved. The police are still gathering information,

Meanwhile, Ambonese were implicated in the sale of 600 rounds of bullets. The ammunition was obtained from officers outside the National Police institution. This was not denied by Roem. "That\'s why the complete material is still being collected," he said.

This is not the first case to come to light. In early January, one suspect, NT, was arrested by the police in connection to the sale and purchase of ammunition to an armed criminal group in Papua. He was arrested in Jayapura.

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Then, in March 2020, a TNI (Indonesian Military) soldier with the rank of first soldier, a member of the Mimika Military District Command, was fired and sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of selling three firearms to the armed criminal group. He sold one firearm for Rp 50 million, while 1,300 ammunition was sold at Rp 100,000 per item (Kompas.id, March 12, 2020).

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

The house was used as a storage area for 600 5.56 millimeter caliber bullets before they were sent to Papua. This house is located in Hative Kecil Village, Ambon City, Maluku, on Tuesday (23/2/2021) in the morning.

Roem promised the National Police would thoroughly investigate the case, including exploring the involvement of other parties outside the National Police, such as members of the public or other agencies. However, he was reluctant to further respond to information about the perpetrators from the other agencies.

Security terror

Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said he would cooperate with the West Papua Police and the Maluku Police to crackdown on the network.

The sales of ammunition and firearms has allowed armed criminal groups to maintain stock of such items. As a result, terror in a number of regencies in Papua, such as Nduga, Intan Jaya and Puncak, continues.

The actions of unscrupulous (police) members selling ammunition and firearms to the armed criminal groups cannot be tolerated.

Based on data from the Papua Police, throughout 2020, there were 49 security disturbances by armed criminal groups in Papua. Shootings occurred in seven regions, including in Nduga, Intan Jaya, Paniai, Mimika, Puncak Jaya, Keerom, and Bintang Mountains. A total of 17 people died.

In 2021, the armed criminal groups are reportedly behind terror acts again. In Intan Jaya, for example, there were seven incidents of terror in January-February. Three TNI soldiers and two civilians died. In addition, one soldier and one resident were seriously injured.

"The actions of unscrupulous (police) members selling ammunition and firearms to the armed criminal groups cannot be tolerated. They sacrificed the lives of their colleagues and civil society for their personal gain,” said Paulus.

KOMPAS/FABIO MARIA LOPES COSTA

Papua Regional Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw

In Jakarta, the head of the National Police\'s Profession and Security Division (Propam) Insp. Gen. Ferdy Sambo, as quoted by Kompas.com, emphasized that if the two members of the Maluku Police were proven to have violated what was suspected, the case would be filed in court.

A trial by the Ethics Commission of the National Police\'s Profession and Security Division will be carried out after the court\'s verdict has permanent legal force.

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The head of the Maluku Province National Human Rights Commission, Benediktus Sarkol, expressed regret for the alleged involvement of the security officers. The sale of weapons to the armed criminal groups will prolong acts of violence and human rights violations in Papua.

He questioned the National Police system in supervising the use of weapons. Weak supervision allows personnel to misuse weapons.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.