Koma.id – Papuan traditional leader Ondofolo Yanto Eluay condemned a series of acts of violence by the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) in the highlands of Papua. Including the plane’s burning and the kidnapping of Pilot Susi Air Capt Philips Mark Mehrtens by the Egianus Kogoya group.
Ondolofo, the son of Papuan fighter Theys Hiyo Eluay, stated that the KKB or TPNPB group’s acts of violence strayed far from the struggle for independence as his father had done.
“These actions violate humanity and are not commendable; that is, they are not justified. The OPM was not like this before, and they were most pressured by the operation.” “Civil society, missionaries, teachers, and health workers were never victims of the Free Papua Organization; instead, they were protected,” he said Saturday, February 18, 2023.
According to him, the community is deliberately protected because their presence is meant to help educate the public, provide health care for the community, and address other matters relating to the community itself. But at this time, there is a shift in the struggle that is very significant.
“Right now, the people in the mountains are carrying out movements on behalf of TPN OPM, even though OPM is one of the fighting factions that prioritizes human values, not what they (KKB, red) are doing,” he said.
Ondofolo Yanto firmly stated that the KKB action in the Papua Highlands was not purely for the sake of Papuan independence but only to fulfill economic needs.
“We need to clarify, yes, this is no longer purely for the struggle for an independent Papua but to meet economic needs.” “In the name of struggle, using symbols of struggle to attract sympathy, using the Morning Star flag under the pretext of struggle, but only to attract sympathy,” he stressed.
He said what they did for the struggle for Free Papua was wrong. They are a criminal group that makes money by using weapons.
“They also intervened with village officials to ask for a share of the village funds. So they are a criminal group, which also exists to get money from traders, miners, government project workers,” he said.
Therefore, he asked the security forces, both the TNI and the Republic of Indonesia Police, to take firm action against the KKB group because the people themselves there were the victims.
“Education, health care, welfare, and infrastructure are all in disarray, and society is always the victim of their heinous actions.” “Such strict action must be taken so that the people there can safely carry out their activities, schools can run, health can work, and so on,” he said.
