Jakarta – The plan of the Indonesian National Army to form a Regional Army Force in Merauke – West Papua and the plan to add a third division of Army Strategic Force Reserve in West Papua is considered as disturbing the efforts to build human rights and conflict resolution in that region.

That was the statement of the National Solidarity for Papua (SNUP) which was addressed to the press on Tuesday (29/3) in Jakarta. The statement was in response to the Indonesian TNI Commander, Gen Endriantono Sutarto who announced that in the near time the TNI will form 22 Regional forces all over Indonesia including West Papua.

SNUP – which was represented by Bonar Tigor Naipospos, Emmy Sahertian, Fendinand Tetro Nasira, Ori Rahman, and Andy D Manoby- stated that the reason proposed by the TNI Commander did not make any sense.

Endriartono said that the addition is to fulfill the lack of personnel in West Papua (which its geographical size is 3,5 times Java island) and to secure the border of RI and PNG and (also) to secure and anticipate the threats from three directions in the sea of the Indonesian archipelago, and to mobilize personnel easily to an area which need to be strengthened.

Beside disturbing human rights efforts and conflict resolution in West Papua, SNUP viewed that the placement of the army forces massively contrast with the efforts to establish West Papua as a peaceful Zone which is what most of West Papuan people have always wanted. SNUP is pushing for the cancellation of the plan.