University of Indonesia’s expert on security affairs, Bambang Widodo Umar, has warned the government to be wiser in its handling a spate of recent violence in Papua, to prevent the problems from getting worse.
“The government should use a soft approach instead of an iron-fist approach and sit together with the Papuan figures on how to find a win-win solution,” Bambang told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Bambang added that the situation in Papua was complicated.
“Therefore the government shouldn’t be easily provoked to get involved in violence either,” he said.
Two police officers were reportedly attacked by an armed group of Papuans with arrows and daggers when they were en route to respond to a report made by locals in Jayapura.
Meanwhile in Timika, police forcibly closed a Free Papuan Movement (OPM) anniversary commemoration after some of the participants hoisted the OPM flag.