REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Military (TNI) should consult with the House of Representatives to handle the separatist movement in Papua, Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR) Tantowi Yahya stated.
"I assess that the military should not be silent in response to the Free Papua Organization's (OPM's) statement that challenges it to wage a war," Yahya noted here on Tuesday.
The first step that the TNI should take is to consult with the House of Representatives to handle the OPM.
"We should think together to solve the problems in Papua," he remarked.
He pointed out that the Indonesian government has taken various steps to resolve the differences with the OPM in a bid to create peace in Papua.
Earlier, President Joko Widodo had ordered the TNI and the National Police to stop using repressive security approaches in Papua. The president also stressed on the need to engage in a dialogue with the Papuan people as one of the key measures to build mutual trust.
With regard to providing open access to foreign journalists and international organizations to enter Papua and West Papua, Yahya lauded the government's step to solve the problems occurring in Papua.
"It is a good motive to handle the problems in Papua," he said.
The TNI should not be provoked by the OPM that challenges it to wage a war, Chairman of Commission I of the House of Representatives Mahfudz Siddiq stated earlier.
"The TNI must promote smart power through the optimization of intelligence operations in handling the OPM," Siddiq remarked here on Monday.
Siddiq pointed out that the Indonesian government should pay serious attention to the region, which is prone to political and military conflicts.
He strongly believes that the OPM wants to incite the Indonesian government into using hard power to handle the separatist movement.
"Because the OPM will take a lot of advantage," he noted.
Siddiq emphasized that the problems in Papua cannot be separated from the interests of foreign actors.
Therefore, he called on the Indonesian government and the TNI to not be provoked by the OPM.
The OPM, headed by Enden Wanimbo and Puron Wenda, has declared an open war against the military, police, and non-Papuans.
Enden noted that the open war was intended to declare the organization's assertiveness that the struggle to attain Papua's freedom will continue and will come at a premium price.
"The OPM refuses to take part in any form of dialogue, and Papua is not secure," he pointed out.
According to Enden, the group has managed to amass a variety of weapons and ammunition to support its open war.
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