Police and military officers acted appropriately in the way that they dispersed the third Papuan People's Congress, Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said on Sunday.
“The government did not find any abuse of power nor mismanaged approaches by the security officers. Police officers and security forces just accomplished their duties mandated by the State,” Julian told The Jakarta Post.
“We initially had no problem with the plan to hold the congress. However, after we found out that the Congress turned into a forum that did not recognize the government and the NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia], the forces needed to do something,” he added, reiterating that any attempt to secede from the country would be against the law.
At least three dead bodies were found not far from where the congress was held after security forces and the police forcefully dispersed the event. About 300 hundred of the 5,000 that attended the congress were arrested.
The government has denied that its security forces were involved in the killings.
“If any violations of the code of conduct are found committed by security and police officers, internal investigation must be carried out,” Julian said.