During the gunfire in Puncak, the commander of the armed criminal group (KKB) Lesmin Waker was reportedly killed. Two officers were also injured by shrapnel during the incident.
By
kompas team
·4 minutes read
JAYAPURA, KOMPAS — The security situation in a number of areas during Idul Fitri was still worrying, especially in Wuloni village, Puncak Regency, Papua, where gunfire between members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) and armed criminal groups continued on Thursday. Two days earlier, four coffee farmers in East Lore district, Poso, Central Sulawesi, were brutally murdered by members of the East Indonesia Mujahidin terrorist group.
During the gunfire in Puncak, the commander of the armed criminal group (KKB) Lesmin Waker was reportedly killed. Two officers were also injured by shrapnel during the incident. The Papua regional police chief, Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri, said in Jayapura on Friday (14/5) that Lesmin was shot dead in Wuloni village at 7.30 in the morning eastern Indonesian time (WIT). He was the right-hand man of Lekagak Telenggen, the leader of the KKB in Puncak.
Lesmin is known to have been involved in a number of attacks against government officials. He, among others, shot dead Bharatu I Komang Wiranata (22) in Makki Village, North Ilaga district, on April 27, 2021.
Increase awareness
In general, according to Mathius, Idul Fitri prayers and Idul Fitri celebrations in Papua ran safely. The gunfire between the security forces and the KKB only occurred in Puncak.
The chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in Papua province, Syaiful Islam Al Payage, also said that Muslims in Papua played an active role in maintaining security and peace in Papua.
TNI / Polri personnel in areas prone to KKB actions have also been asked to increase their vigilance during the Idul Fitri celebrations. KKB is still active in a number of areas, such as the Egianus Kogoya group in Nduga, the Sabinus Waker group in Intan Jaya, and the Lekagak Telenggen group in Puncak.
Based on Kompas’ records and data from the Papua police, from the beginning of 2021 to 27 April 2021, the KKB was involved in 17 attacks. Six security forces and six civilians were killed. In addition, four security officers and two residents were injured.
The KKB attacks also killed the head of the Papua Regional State Intelligence Agency, Brig. Gen. I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha in Beoga district, Puncak on Sunday (25/4).
"We continue to pressure the KKB with legal enforcement. We are ready to accept them if they surrender and declare loyalty to the Republic of Indonesia, "said Mathius.
The assistant for operations of the Joint Regional Defense Command III, Brigadier General Suswatyo, said the joint team was still in the field after Lesmin was shot in Wuloni. "In this operation, the TNI and Polri want to protect the public so that they can carry out their daily activities in a conducive nevironment," he said.
Poso killings
In Central Sulawesi, the TNI / Polri joint team is still hunting down terrorists from the East Indonesian Mujahidin (MIT) group in the Poso area. They tried to persuade the group members to surrender to the security forces.
They were killed in two different locations in the coffee plantation in the Napu Valley area.
Last Tuesday, between four and five members of the MIT group killed four farmers in Kalimago village, East Lore district, Poso. They were killed in two different locations in the coffee plantation in the Napu Valley area.
The head of the Public Relations Division of the Central Sulawesi Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Didik Supranoto, said that the search for the members of the MIT group continued.
The killing of the farmer adds to the long list of victims murdered by the MIT group led by Ali Kalora. In November 2020, four residents of Lembantongoa Village, Sigi regency, were also killed.
The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) strongly condemned the murder. "We urge the government, TNI and Polri to end the terror in Poso," said PGI general secretary, Rev. Jacky Manuputty.
Student organizations in Central Sulawesi also protested the murder. The students urged the Indonesian National Police to immediately arrest the perpetrators of the murder. (FLO/VDL/NAD)
(This article was translated byHendarsyah Tarmizi).