REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) ordered the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and the National Police chief General Tito Karnavianto check the latest conditions in Nduga, Papua Province. Jokowi has received report that the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) on Sunday attacked PT Istaka Karya workers and killed 31 of them.
"The incident occurred in Nduga District, a region which was given a red mark and a region that I once visited. This morning, I ordered the TNI commander and the National Police chief to check the conditions there, because the (information) about it is still confusing," Jokowi noted when opening the World Anti-Corruption Day (Hakordia) 2018 event in Jakarta on Tuesday.
On Dec 2, 2018, 31 workers from PT Istaka Karya, who were engaged in construction and building the Trans Papua project, were killed by KKB in Kali Yigi and Kali Aurak in Yigi Sub-District, Nduga District, Papua.
"Since there is no signal there, it is important to check whether the conditions of the incident are same as those mentioned in the report. We realize that even though the development in Papua is indeed very difficult to carry out and can still be hindered by incidents such as the reported one, the development in Papua should continue," the president added.
In the meantime, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono expressed regret for the murder of the workers in the fifth segment of the Trans Papua construction site under the government's focus to improve connectivity in Indonesia's easternmost province.
"The Wamena-Heberna-Kenyam-Mumugu section is the fifth segment of Trans Papua, stretching 278 kilometers," Hadimuljono informed the press here, Tuesday, following a report on the murders.
"I am waiting for information from the Kodam commander. I will go down there. Right now, we cannot as yet confirm the number of the victims -- whether 24 or 31 people -- since it is yet to be checked and confirmed," he revealed.
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