The leadership election in the newly autonomous Puncak regency in Papua,
has been suspended due to the fatal riot on July 31 in which 17 people
were killed.
“The election has been suspended for the time being,
due to the current unstable situation,” Puncak General Elections
Commission (KPUD) head Nas Lebeme told reporters in Jayapura on Monday.
Nas said the postponement was in accordance with a 2009 KPU decree that
stipulated that an election must be suspended in the event of a natural
disaster or rioting.
“We have just carried out the registration
phase from July 24 to 30. The riot broke out on the final day of
candidate registration,” he said.
He added that the five
candidate pairs who had registered were Wellem Wandik and Refinus
Telenggen, Elvis Tabuni and Herry Desina, Ruban Wakerkwa and Septinus
Pahabol, Petrus Tabuni and Jansen Fernando Tinal and Yopi Murib and Yoel
Yolena.
“After the registration phase, next comes verification,
but due to the incident, we don’t know when it will start,” Nas said.
Nas
added that the riot was sparked by the fact that one political party
had allegedly sponsored two Puncak regent candidate tickets — those of
Elvis Tabuni and Simon Alom.
“Elvis registered himself at the
Puncak KPUD on July 27, by using a recommendation from the Gerindra
Party branch executive board, and later Simon came to the KPUD on July
30, with support from the Gerindra Party Central Executive Board and
provincial executive board. They had yet to hand in their documents
when Elvis’ supporters attacked Alom’s group,” Nas said.
A
person was killed and a Police Mobile Brigade member was injured by an
arrow in the clash on July 30. The situation at the Puncak KPUD office
was eventually brought under control by the Ilaga Police. The next day,
on July 31, Alom’s group attacked Elvis’ group, which resulted in the
deaths of 17 people.
“The clash took place in Kago, Ilaga,” said
Puncak KPUD legal division head Erianto Kiwak.
Investigators from
the Papua Police headquarters said Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr.
Wachyono arrived in Ilaga, Puncak regency, to investigate the incident.
According
to Kiwak, the clash was to be reported to the Papua KPUD and the
central KPU, who would determine further measures.