Audrey Santoso, Jakarta – Police have arrested the deputy chairperson of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Buchtar Tabuni. Tabuni was arrested on Monday for alleged makar (treason, subversion, rebellion).

"That's correct, we have secured the person concerned. [On charges] related to makar", said Indonesian police public relations division head Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo at the Grand Kemang Hotel in South Jakarta on Wednesday September 11.

Prasetyo explained that Tabuni was arrested on Monday September 9 and he is currently undergoing intensive questioning by police.

"(He was secured) yesterday, Monday. Currently the person concerned is still being question by investigators", said Prasetyo.

Earlier, Indonesian police chief General Tito Karnavian explained that the police are hunting down the masterminds behind the riots which occurred in Papua and West Papua provinces. One of them is the ULMWP.

"The ULMWP (United Liberation Movement for West Papua), the KNPB (West Papua National Committee) are responsible for these incidents. And I will hunt them down, they are also the ones who produced fake news", said Karnavian during a press conference at the Bhayangkara Hospital in Abepura, Papua, on Thursday September 5.

According to Karnavian, these parties acting in the name of the Papuan people and causing riots do not in fact actually care about the people in the land of the Cenderawasih as Papua is known.

"Pity the victims, later God will avenge them. Remember, there were fires, there were victims, people died, this is what they will be answerable to before God", said Karnavian.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Polisi Tangkap Tokoh ULMWP Buchtar Tabuni Terkait Makar".]

Source: https://news.detik.com/berita/d-4701959/polisi-tangkap-tokoh-ulmwp-buchtar-tabuni-terkait-makar