TNI Deceiving the Public that Twenty Members of the TPNPB VIII Kodap Intan Jaya has given up

JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com — TNI through Dansatgas Yonif PR 433/JS, Major Inf. Yudy Ardiyan claims that the twenty former members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) Kodap VIII group, from Intan Jaya Joparu village, District Ugimba declared itself return to the lap of the Republic of Indonesia and will no longer join the OPM group on Saturday, 06/20/2020.

The TNI also claimed within four months after it was occupied by the Task Force he led, the area of Joparu which was originally a black area or an area controlled by the peacekeeping operation, turned into a safe area from the group’s disturbances.

Major Inf Yudy Ardiyan also claimed, before the Task Force Yonif PR 433/JS arrived, the Joparu resident felt intimidated and oppressed by the presence of OPM in the village because they often harassing, seizing livestock, property and even raping young women in the area. “With these territorial activities, we managed to change the mindset of the Joparu people who had previously been taken up arms to help OPM until they consciously want to return to Homeland lap” said Major Yudy.

Major Inf Yudy Ardiyan also said, Joparu resident who were once part of the OPM Kodap VIII Intan group Jaya under the leadership of Sabianus Waker held a declaring activity that they returned to the lap of the Republic of Indonesia and promised that they would no longer defend OPM.

The TNI also took the name of civil servant of Intan Jaya Regency which never existed at the location where the TNI forced the people to make an oath of promise and be loyal to Indonesia. Major Inf Yudy Ardyan Saputro took the name of the Head of Public Relations, Rido, who never existed or involved in the activity.

Is it true that 20 TPNPB members have surrendered?

The information compiled from the suarapapua.com source information in Joparu Village, whose name is reluctant to be provided denied it. He told to suarapapua.com that the information disseminated by the TNI is incorrect or a lie. He said what was true is that the TNI had forced community leaders, religious leaders, civil servant, heads of village officet, and the secretaries, graduated, college students, junior high and elementary students to claimed that they were members of TPNPB Kodap VIII Intan Jaya.

He revealed that the incident occurred on Friday 06/19/2020. At that time the Dansatgas Infantry Battalion PR 433/ JS, Major Inf Yudy Ardiyan with his members forced and intimidated twenty people and then direct them to gather in the churchyard, force them to make an oath and promise to surrender and be loyal to Indonesia.

“The information distributed by the TNI is incorrect. At that time the TNI forced twenty people into the Galunggama, a Catholic churchyard. Then they have to read the statements made by the TNI on paper if they were members of TPNPB Kodap VIII Intan Jaya. The twenty people heard and did it under the intimidation of TNI members because they were afraid,” he said to suarapapua.com to clarify the statement of the TNI that was posted on salampapua.com on (1/7/2020.

Another Suara Papua information source who also did not want to be named from Sugapa District stated the same thing. He explained that the incident did not happen on 06/20/2020 as reported by salampapua.com, but the incident occurred on Friday, 06/19/2020.

He explained that when the community went to the market in Yokatapa, the twenty people were summoned and then directed to the Galunggama, a Catholic churchyard. He revealed, The Dansatgas Yonif PR 433/JS, Major Inf Yudy Ardiyan, and its members summoned twenty people with the aim of a playing card. Also, the TNI prepared five chickens. The chicken was cooked and has been eaten with them.

“After cooking the chicken, the TNI and the twenty people held a banana leaf in the yard and then ate together,” he explained.

He stressed that the twenty people were not members of the Intan Jaya Kodap VIII TPNPB but they are people from religious leaders, youth, college students, school students, civil servants, and village officials. “They are not TPNPB members. They are the people who live at home and go to work. Then they were arrested and forced to make statements for surrender and loyalty to the Republic of Indonesia” he stressed.

Yoakim Mujizau, Head of the Village Community Empowerment Agency [DPMK] Intan Jaya Regency confirmed suarapapua.com about Paulus Sani who was mentioned by the TNI as a member of the TPNPB Kodap VIII Intan Jaya denied the TNI’s claim.

Mujizau said that Paul was a civil servant who worked in the department he was leading.

“Paulus Sani is a staff in the Intan Jaya DMPK service,” he said.

Besides, he confirmed that on Friday 06/19/2020 there had been coercion of twenty villagers from Ugimba and Joparu area. They were forced to surrender and make statements loyal to the Republic of Indonesia. “They were all forced into the church and the TNI told them to recognize the red and white flag and say the Unitary Republic of Indonesia at a fixed price (NKRI Harga Mati)” Mujizau added.

In the following table below, there is a list about the twenty people who were forced by the TNI to make statements to be loyal to the Republic of Indonesia in the Galunggama Catholic Churchyard on 06/19/2020;

Reporter: Arnold Belau

Translator: Imelda Kopeuw