Larius Kogoya, Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee or KNPB firmly rejects the revival of the transmigration program in Papua. The KNPB is aware that Papuans will be sidelined, so transmigration must be rejected.

This opposition was declared during a demonstration in Abepura, Jayapura city, on Friday November 15. "For the KNPB militarism is better than transmigration, because transmigration will kill the Papuan cultural race", said the KNPB field coordinator Messi Silak.

Silak is asking President Prabowo Subianto to stop the transmigration program.

Silak said that the KNPB in the Numbay and Sentani regions held peaceful actions at several points such as the Abepura traffic circle, at the front gates of the upper and lower Chandrawati University (Uncen) campuses, the Waena III State Housing Company (Perumnas), the Waena Expo, in Jayapura city and Sentani I in Jayapura regency.

However the actions at several points in Jayapura city were blocked by the police. At the Yahukimo dormitory the paramilitary Mobile Police (Brimob) blocked them in front of the dormitory so they could not get out on to the road.

Although they held negotiations with the police, the authorities did not allow the KNPB onto the road. Similar problems were experienced at other locations.

Meanwhile an action near the Abepura traffic circle was blocked by security forces and protesters were forcibly dispersed with teargas and water cannon.

Earlier at around 9.30 am when the demonstrators arrived at the gathering point at the Abepura traffic circle, Brimob and the police were already on standby. They were reinforced by water cannon, four police crowd control vehicles, a cool box vehicle, four Brimob patrol cars and a regional police ambulance unit, as well as dozens of Brimob personnel.

The protesters, who took turns in giving speeches, also brought banners and posters reading "Transmigration, a Tangible Form of Colonialism: A Shortcut to Genocide, Ethnocide and Ecocide in West Papua", "We Reject Transmigration to Papua" and "Papua is not an Empty Land".

Half an hour later, hundreds of demonstrators from the lower Uncen campus gate arrived and filled up the area near the Abepura traffic lights and the Abepura traffic circle.

The demonstrators had planned to express their aspirations at the Papua Regional House of Representative (DPRP) offices, but this was not allowed by the authorities. Negotiations between the protesters and the authorities were unproductive and they only allowed to KNPB to give speeches in the traffic circle.

An argument broke out between the authorities and KNPB and they began pushing and shoving each other. Not long afterwards, Brimob fired tear gas into the crowd.

Jayapura city Municipal Police Chief Senor Commissioner Victor Mackbon said that earlier they had appealed to the KNPB not to hold the action. The KNPB however remained adamant and went ahead with the action until it blocked the road.

"They wanted to hold a long-march to the Papua DPRP. [We told them this would not be allowed] quite some time ago and we had also gave them a place to express their aspirations. But they did not respond to what was conveyed by the police", said Mackbon.

Therefore, continued Mackbon, the police forced the protesters back in accordance with standard procedures. "However, the response from the group was to pelt officers [with objects], so that one of our officers was evacuated to the hospital", Mackbon said.

Mackbon explained that security forces followed standard operating procedures (SOP) because the KNPB masses blocked the main road in the city. And they had already appealed to them well in advance not to hold a long-march or block the roads.

"Because it was feared that later it would certainly lead to destruction by the protesters. So, we acted (according to SOP), yes", he said.

According to Mackbon, the issue that was planned to be articulated during the action was related to transmigration in Papua. However, on the ground it took up other issues such as Papuan independence.

"But, yes, there was certainly others taking advantage of it as well, perhaps by talking about Papuan independence", he said.

Mackbon said that around 500 personnel were deployed to secure the demonstrations at eight points from Sentani to Jayapura city. And indeed the KNPB's aim, he said, was to gather the masses. Therefore, they separated the mass action from the KNPB.

"Until now, besides the [Abepura traffic] circle, other areas have been secured. At other points besides the [traffic] circle they have been advised to disperse and they understand. And they're already prepared to disperse. Only earlier, those originating from lower Uncen broke through to the road, wanting to hold a long-march to the Papuan DPR, so we took measured and decisive action", he said.

• Video of police breaking up protest against transmigration in Jayapura posted on X by Veronica Koman: https://twitter.com/i/status/1857317046696198403

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "KNPB tolak transmigrasi karena OAP akan tersingkir".]

Source: https://jubi.id/mamta/2024/knpb-tolak-transmigrasi-karena-oap-akan-tersingkir/