HTI Spokesman: Free Papua Movement (OPM) Should Be Treated As A Terrorist Group

Shootings once again took place in Papua at the Pirime police precint office, Lanny Jaya Regency, Papua Province, Tuesday (27/11). According to the Spokesman of Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) this has been among numerous series of evidence that the Free Papua Movement (OPM) committed armed violence and murder against the police.

According to Ismail, OPM supposedly be treated as a serious threat for making a separatist movement. “It is very obvious that OPM wants to liberate Papua, therefore OPM should be handled seriously similar to how the authority deals with serious cases of terrorism,” he told mediaumat.com, Wednesday (28/11).

He explained that the police action against the OPM separatist movement is quite different than that against terrorism cases. According to him, being a ‘suspected’ terrorist can lead to arrest, or even shot to death. “There is no arrest warrant for  suspected terrorists. In fact, the police make a false arrest; which is why they often release they suspect soon, “he added.

While OPM, according to Ismail, is no longer a suspected terrorist organization; they even take separatist actions. Indonesia’s anti-terror squad should be deployed to Papua. “This is weird. OPM should be considered as a terrorist group, because they commit violence and murder,” he said.

Special Autonomy obtained by Papua should have brought prosperity to the region. Moreover, Papua requires a very high local budget if compared to other regions in Indonesia. In contrast, the corruption of the officials hampers the welfare of the Papuan people.

Ismail confirmed that instead of applying the welfare approach, at present, the government should enforce military approach. “Root them out,” he said.

And the source of the problem, according to Ismail, is a number of groups in Papua and foreign interference, America and Australia. “They maintain that Papua to be in conflict. When their interests are threatened, they use OPM issues as a means to interfere, “he said.

According to Ismail, foreign interference in the OPM movemement is obvious. If there have been no foreign powers and support, they won’t dare to bring guns so freely and have endurance for so long. “That is what makes their movement look so slow; they won’t revolt if there is no order and not for greater interest,” he said.

As reported on Tuesday (27/11) the situation remains tense in Papua, after the Police office in Sector Pirime, Lanny Jaya Regency, Papua Province was attacked by OPM. The Police Chief of Pirime Ipda Rolvi Takubesi and Brigadier Daniel Makuker Jefri Rumkoremanggota were killed in the ambush while the police precinct office was burned down by the separatist movement. (Mediaumat.com, 28/11/2012)