Indonesia's military says it is providing support for West Papuan villagers displaced after recent deadly violence in Maybrat regency.
The Bupati of West Papua's Maybrat Regency, Bernard Sagrim, alongside Indonesian military discussing logistical support to displaced people in the region. Photo: Supplied
The military, or TNI, has also been co-ordinating with local authorities to facilitate a return home for the displaced people.
Several thousand people were estimated to have fled after pro-independence West Papuan fighters attacked the Kisor Koramil military post in Maybrat at the start of this month.
Four Indonesian soldiers were killed, and numerous others injured in the attack. A manhunt is underway for the perpetrators.
Colonel Hendra Pesireron, the spokesman for the Kasuari XVIII Military Command spokesman, said they had been providing food, health and clothing relief, as well as logistic support to communities in several of Maybrat's districts.
This includes assistance directed to residents of villages who were housing displaced people from other parts of the area, while engineer capabilities were deployed to repair damaged transport infrastructure in the area.
According to Pesireron, Indonesia's military stood ready to assist displaced communities return to their villages safely, in co-ordination with the Regent of Maybrat, Bernard Sagrim.
A West Papuan church group told RNZ Pacific earlier this month that Papuans who had fled from the violence were fearful of the military mobilisation and unsure of their security.
However, Sagrim addressed a number of displaced communities to assure them of their safety.
He told people not to be afraid of the military and police apparatus in their area, saying the security forces were there to provide protection.
Sagrim said that residents who returned to their homes would be escorted, and their return facilitated by the government.
Indonesian military has provided food relief to displaced people in West Papua's Maybrat regency. Photo: Supplied
A faction of the West Papua Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on the military post in Maybrat.
Other regencies to have experienced recent violent attacks involving the Liberation Army and Indonesian forces since 2018 include Intan Jaya, Puncak Jaya, Nduga and in recent days also Pegunungan Bintang Regency.
Deadly attack in Oksibil
Indonesian authorities have pointed blame at the Liberation Army for another deadly attack this month in remote Oksibil district in Pegunungan Bintang.
The attack resulted in a classroom and health centre were being down in the district, close to the border with Papua New Guinea.
One medical worker was killed in the attack, with local authorities saying dozens of Liberation Army members also tried to stab several other medical workers before they managed to escape.
However, Papuan sources claim Indonesian armed forces were behind the attack which destroyed the public facilities as an attack on the Liberation Army.
The pro-independence fighters also destroyed equipment being used by an Indonesian construct team for the Trans Papuan road project in the same district this month.
TNI personnel from the XVIII/Kasuari Military Command and Polri in the Maybrat area construct a new bridge in Fakario village, Maybrat Regency, West Papua, 14 September 2021. Photo: TNI
