Merauke, Jubi – Several former terrorism convicts in Merauke Regency are working to rebuild their lives in the community after completing their legal proceedings, including plans to establish an educational institution.
One of the former terrorism convicts, Sigit Purnomo, said those now living in Merauke continue to receive support from the Indonesian National Police's Densus 88 Anti-Terrorism Unit through communication and follow-up assistance.
He said the support has helped them feel that they have not been abandoned after completing their sentences.
Sigit said their participation in Indonesia's 81st Independence Day ceremony was one way of reaffirming their sense of patriotism.
"When we sing Indonesia Raya and recite the Pancasila, we are actually among the most vocal in doing so," Sigit said after attending the 81st Independence Day ceremony at Katalpal Stadium in Merauke with other former terrorism convicts on Monday (Aug. 17, 2026).
He said their past experiences had given them a deeper understanding of the importance of maintaining unity and respecting differences within society. Sigit said the former terrorism convicts in Merauke no longer wanted to focus solely on their own needs.
Instead, they wanted to contribute to the country by helping prepare the next generation through education.
He said some of his colleagues preferred establishing a school rather than developing agricultural land.
"They would rather build a school, establish an educational institution. We do not want to think only about our own needs. We also want to contribute to this country by producing a generation of intelligent young people," he said.
Sigit said a foundation had already been established to oversee the planned educational institution, and land for the project was also available. However, they still needed assistance with the licensing process and construction.
He hoped Densus 88's continued support would help them turn their plans into reality, including establishing schools from primary through senior secondary levels.
For Sigit, the initiative represents a concrete effort to contribute to Indonesia as they rebuild their lives as citizens.
"If possible, we hope the Densus team can help us realize our dream of establishing an educational institution, whether it is a primary, junior secondary or senior secondary school, and help us turn this aspiration into reality rather than leaving it as merely a dream," he said.
Sigit added that obeying the law, respecting regulations, avoiding actions that could harm others and living responsibly as citizens were among the ways they could demonstrate their commitment to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
"NKRI is not something we affirm through words, but through our actions and conduct. We obey the law and regulations, we do not violate them, we do not engage in corruption and we do not endanger society," he said.
Head of the Papua Regional Task Force of Densus 88 Anti-Terrorism Unit, Comr. Putu Gede Surya Putra Mustika, added that former terrorism convicts receive assistance through the Idensos program, or Identification and Socialization.
According to Putu, the program is designed to help ensure that Densus 88's partners can fully reintegrate into communities across South Papua.
He said those receiving assistance were former terrorism convicts who had returned to the Republic of Indonesia after completing their legal proceedings.
"Our work is based on the principle of treating people with humanity," Putu said.
He said support for former terrorism convicts should not focus solely on the offenses they had committed.
Their legal proceedings had served as part of their accountability, while the state also had a responsibility to ensure that they continued to enjoy their rights and could fulfill their responsibilities as citizens.
"We need to ensure that, as citizens and as human beings, they receive their rights and are able to fulfill their responsibilities as good citizens," he said.
Putu said one issue requiring attention was the ability of former convicts to adapt to social and economic life after completing their legal proceedings. Economic hardship and limited resources, he said, could make individuals more vulnerable to radical ideologies.
For that reason, he said the state needed to prevent marginalization and help former convicts rebuild stable lives within their communities.
In Merauke, Putu said the current security situation remained relatively stable. He said no remaining networks linked to intolerance, radicalism, extremism or terrorism had been identified.
"The public security situation in South Papua, particularly in Merauke, is very moderate. This is what we need to maintain," he said.
However, Putu warned of a newer challenge affecting children: exposure to violent ideas and content through social media, digital devices and online games.
He said such threats did not always take the form of radical ideology but could instead involve the normalization of violence through children's digital environments.
He cited several cases of violence involving children in other parts of Indonesia as a warning that the issue required attention from families, schools and communities.
"We need to be vigilant because we are also dealing with this issue in Papua, as we are in several other places," he said.
Putu said there are currently 11 Densus 88 partners in Merauke, one in Jayapura and another person still serving a sentence in Jakarta.
He urged people in South Papua to work together to maintain the region as a safe and peaceful place by strengthening tolerance among religious and ethnic communities.
He also called on communities to reject radicalism and work together to prevent children from being exposed to violent ideas through social media.