REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Head of Illumination of Military Regional Command (Kapendam) XVII/Cendrawasih Letkol Inf Candra Kurniawan confirmed that the news that the joint army of TNI-police expelled patients and closed the IGD room of RSUD Madi in Paniai Regency, Central Papua Province, is a hoax.

Kapendam said that the false news was deliberately broadcast by the separatist group OPM in order to create a stir. The reason, carried out by the joint military and military forces in Madi RSUD, Paniai Regency, was to secure the health facility from OPM threats. He accused the OPM of intending to burn down the hospital.

“The news that is spreading is a hoax deliberately spewed out by OPM and its sympathizers. Just at this time, military personnel from the 527th Infantry Battalion (Yonif) helped to carry out the security of Madi Paniai Hospital, because there were complaints from the public that the OPM hordes would burn down the RSUD,” Candra said when contacted in Jakarta, Sunday (26/5/2024).

He explained that the presence of the joint forces in RSUD Madi, Paniai was also at the request of the medical team who feared that his safety was threatened by the OPM group. According to Candra, a number of misleading narratives on social media, including the issue of children's patients being forced to search hospitals, RSUD doors being closed in a cross-linked manner, and a number of old photographs, re-circulated with erroneous narratives.