YAHUKIMO, SUARAPAPUA.com — Citizens of the Yahukimo District in Papua on Friday (28/7/2017) protested plans by the Indonesian Air Force, or TNI-AU, to build a local post in the district, saying that presence of security forces is meddling development efforts to ensure prosperity in the region.
“We organized this protest because we heard of the plans to build military post here. We set up roadblocks to voice our concerns to the district chief,” Arius Yahuli, who led the rally in Dekai, Yahukimo, said.
According to Tonias, who represented the university students in the district, said that the roadblock is necessary due to the urgency of the matter.
“The government needs to focus on the development and prosperity for the people. They shouldn’t have brought the army, police’s mobile brigade (Brimob) or counterterrorism unit (Densus 88). Yahukimo is not an area of emergency like Puncak Jaya or Timika,” Tonias said.
He emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough research locally before commencing the building of a military post, and said that university students are well-aware of what happens when military makes their way to a district, giving the example of Puncak Jaya and Timika, where conflicts often took place with the presence of Brimob and the army.
“We (university students) will always be with the people, and we are against the building of a military post, or the presence of Brimob, here in Yahukimo,” Tonias said.
During the rally, citizens of the district also said that they do not want Brimob in Yahukimo, or the renovation of the Nop Goliat airport in Dekai.
In response to the rally, Yahukimo District chief Abock Busup said that the public should have voiced their concerns regarding the military post three months ago, when the plans were just being laid out.
According to Abock, plans to have Brimob in the area was based on the request of the public and not an initiative of the local government.
Abock also said that plans to renovate the Nop Goliat airport was part of the central government’s program, not the local government.
“If the people say we must reject, then we will reject. We are here for the people, after all. However, please deliver these aspirations well,” Abock said. (SY/AB)
