Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Papua Police are working with the Papua New Guinea (PNG) police in a manhunt for armed assailants who fled to PNG after a shootout on Saturday with security forces in Skouw Wutung, on the border of Indonesia and PNG.
"The police have investigated and have identified the armed civilian group as being from the Mathias Wenda gang, based on field evidence," said Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian in Jayapura on Tuesday. Mathias Wenda is a leader of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM).
The evidence came in the form of an identity card under the name of a person with the rank of major, signed by Mathias. "The finding leads to the Mathias Wenda gang," Tito confirmed.
Based on police information, the gang usually operates along the Indonesia-PNG border in Skouw Wutung and is based in Victoria village, PNG. "We will take advantage of our good relations and cooperation, which is well-established with PNG, and take legal action against these armed criminals," he said.
The armed gang carried out an attack on Saturday morning on the Indonesia-PNG border when around 20 armed men took down an Indonesian flag and raising the Morning Star separatist flag. The flag has long been seen by the Indonesian government as a symbol of rebellion.
The armed men set fire to a banner, damaged a car wash and piled wood on the streets, blocking traffic in the process. The gang members also fired at security personnel who were conducting surveillance on them.
In the incident, Jayapura City Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Alfred Papare and Indonesian Military (TNI) Sgt. Major Tugino were injured. During the gunfire, security personnel were able to shoot and hit three of the gang members, but they immediately fled into the jungle of the neighboring country.
"We've tightened security on the border to prevent a similar incident from recurring," said Tito. In regard to the legislative election, Tito urged residents not to be provoked by misleading rumors.
"Rumor has it that two people were killed in Nafri, whereas in fact both of them were killed in a traffic accident," he went on. "The driver of the car involved in the accident has been held, so the rumor of the killing is untrue."
Tito emphasized the police and the TNI would beef up security ahead of the election as part of an effort to maintain peace and security.
Meanwhile, the Indonesia-PNG border area will be closed to the public from April 6 until April 12 due to the election in Indonesia.
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/09/opm-linked-gang-behind-attack-police.html