Police Operation To Target Papua

Six districts in Papua are to be targeted in a special police operation called Tegak Cendrawasih 2009, or Upright Bird of Paradise, that will be launched shortly following last weekend’s violent skirmishes that left three people dead, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Sulistyo Ishak said on Friday.

“We will target the operation at these regions because there have been frequent shootings and other security issues there,” he said.

The objective of the operation was to provide better security for local people, he said. Although the operation would concentrate on the Jayawijaya, Nabire, Puncak Jaya, Mimika and Sarmi districts, the police would also continue their existing operation in Amole aimed at protecting commercially sensitive areas in Papua, including the huge PT Freeport Indonesia mining operation at Mimika.

Besides the intensive operation in the six districts, the police will also conduct operations in the province’s other 23 districts.

“However, we will only conduct an educative and counseling operation there,” Sulistyo said, adding that the operation would probably last about 90 days.

Their work would aim to raise awareness in the local people of their duties as Indonesian citizens, improve their awareness of the law and increase their love for the country.

Sulistyo said the National Police would deploy 1,794 officers for the operation, with 1,329 more from the Papua Police. Recent security issues have intensified the central government’s attention on the province.

Attacks by armed groups in the Freeport area of operations last weekend resulted in the deaths of an Australian Freeport employee, an Indonesian worker and a police officer. Seven others were injured. Two police officers were wounded on Wednesday.

Papua Police Chief Bagus Ekodanto told the Jakarta Globe on Friday that top police and military officials had agreed to step up patrols and surveillance in Papua as well as send extra personnel to the province.
Source: http://thejakartaglobe.com/national/police-operation-to-target-papua/318845