Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Indonesian Military (TNI) is engaging in non-combat activities in an attempt to repair its image among locals. The military and police are perceived as ineffective in tackling a recent spate of violent crime.
The TNI staged a community event themed "Love and Peace are Beautiful" in Puncak Jaya, where a series of shootings resulted in the deaths of several people in the last five years. Military and police officers have also been targeted by the gunmen.
Tensions in the regency are high, with the security apparatus accusing locals of supporting secessionist movements, while residents accuse the TNI and police of rights abuses.
The TNI's recent community event involves 300 Army, Air Force and Navy personnel and will run for four months. The community programs include renovating homes, churches and markets damaged during rioting, and rebuilding a number of public facilities, health centers, schools and livestock enclosures.
Other engagement measures include disseminating advice on farming, health and legal affairs, and offering carpentry, water treatment and auto mechanic training.
The head of the Cenderawasih Military Command, Maj. Gen. Erfi Trianusu, said the TNI would provide psychiatrists to help residents traumatized by the widespread violence in the area.
Puncak Jaya Regent Lukas Enembe expressed his appreciation to the TNI for the social activities, saying it would help the administration accelerate development in the regency, so much so that the entire community would benefit from the impacts of development.
Lukas said that as people could get involved and benefit from the impacts of development, those harboring separatist tendencies would return to the fold and unite to bring about development.
Reverend Hengky Felle from the Indonesia Evangelical Church said miscommunication between the people and security personnel was widespread, instigating suspicion and discord.
"I hope the miscommunication can gradually be mended and the feeling of suspicion erased. The [TNI's community] activities should not only be done once but continuously so as to maintain the good ties that have been established. If the communication improves, I believe there won't be any more problems," Felle said.