https://westpapuatabloid.org/the-indonesian-army-sends-450-soldiers-from-battalion-132.html
The Indonesian Army has sent hundreds of troops to join the Indonesian-Papua New Guinea (PNG) North Sector Border Security Task Force (Satgas Pamtas).
Quoting https://papua.inews.id/, a total of 450 soldiers from Battalion 132, Korem 031 Wirabima Branch 1 Bukit Barisan were dispatched to serve for the next nine months.
The send off was directly led by the Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman at Battalion 132 Korem 031 Branch 1 Bukit Barisan.
“This assignment is an honor and pride for every army soldier. Therefore, I carried out a direct inspection to ensure that all aspects were well maintained, especially the capabilities, preparedness and skills of the soldiers,” Dudung said, Tuesday (9/13/2022).
He said his arrival is to check the discipline and compliance of soldiers with the law, the readiness of equipment, and facilities and infrastructure to be used, including the readiness of personnel and materials needed for the assignment.
On that occasion, the Army Chief of Staff also inspected personnel, both individual equipment and tactical vehicles to be brought directly on assignment. “Do your job well and responsibly. If you want to succeed, never hurt people’s hearts because your presence there is not only to protect the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia but also to be a solution in helping people overcome difficulties,” Dudung said.
According to him, his presence also aims to provide moral support to soldiers who depart to carry out assignments, and to their families and living element or home command (khorum). The Army Chief of Staff also said that currently the Indonesian Army has fulfilled operational needs, especially personal equipment, weapons, transportation and other operational needs.
He hoped that, with the achievements and experience of the Pamtas Battalion 132/BS Task Force which had successfully carried out their previous operational duties, they could also carry out their duties well as the North Sector RI-PNG Pamtas Task Force.
“The RI-PNG Pamtas Task Force for the North Sector must create the presence of the Indonesian Army in the area you are going to in order to have a good and memorable impact on the community. For the soldiers who are on duty, I hope they will maintain their health, continue to worship and pray sincerely,” he said.
Furthermore, the Army Chief of Staff asked the personnel to always be vigilant in their duties, control the field of operation and not commit the slightest violation. Previously, quoting https://www.viva. co.id/, at the start of 2022, the TNI military continued to strengthen defense and security at national borders.
One of them is the border of the Republic of Indonesia with Papua New Guinea aka PNG. Not only with combat troops from land and sea, but the TNI also deployed air troops to Papua.
This time, the TNI entrusted the task of securing the RI-PNG border to the special forces of the Indonesian Air Force, which is the Special Forces Corps (Pakhas). Based on the official broadcast of the Pakhas TNI Corps reported by VIVA Military, Tuesday, January 4, 2022, the combat troops flown to Papua came from the 462nd Paskhas/Pulanggeni Command Battalion (Yonko).
According to the Commander of Yonko 462 Paskhas, Lieutenant Colonel Pas Muhammad Junaidi, the orange beret troops will be stationed in the provinces of Papua and West Papua.
“In carrying out the assignment, always keep the good name of the unit because the task is an honor, the task is our pride and the pride of the unit, the task is a matter of pride, so I hope that the Yonko 462 Paskhas soldiers can carry out this task well,” Lieutenant Colonel Pas M Junaidi said.
Quoting https://www.voaindonesia. com/, the addition of troops was indeed a factor in the unfinished conflict in Papua, but on the other hand, according to the Director of the Democratic Alliance for Papua (ALDP), Latifah Anum Siregar, there is also an increase in personnel in the West Papua National Liberation Army group (TPNPB).
“There are additions and developments to the TPNPB structure. Two years ago, when we heard about the conflict in Nduga, it was always related to one name, people always mention Egianus Kogoya. But now, under Egianus Kogoya himself, so many battalions are being built, being formed,” Anum said.
Not surprisingly, new names emerged when armed violence took place both in Nduga and in Intan Jaya. “For instance, there is Undius Kogoya, there is Tendius Gwijangge, and there is Aibon Kogoya. There are new names which are additions, so there is a structure development as well,” he said.
Another factor is the entry of illegal weapons and ammunition into Papua. ALDP has compiled a report on the illicit weapons business in Papua, and published it some time ago. However, according to Anum, only about 30-50 percent of cases of buying and selling illegal weapons are legally processed.
“So there are about 50 percent that the police have not actually caught. So, we can imagine, the weapons and also the thousands of ammunition in Papua,” added Anum. The war in the field is also complemented by a narrative war on social media, between the TNI/Polri and the TPNPB.
Mutual claims and mutual accusations often occur between the two parties. All of these factors make armed conflict wider in scope. Anum noted that areas such as the Bintang Mountains, which were previously calm, have now begun to be tainted by armed conflict as well.