“Security in Papua, as highlighted by the vice president, is a prerequisite to realize prosperity in Papua,” Vice Presidential spokesperson Masduki Baidlowi stated after accompanying Amin to meet Margono and Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali here, Tuesday (January 3).
Apart from regional security, the vice president accentuated the need to prepare all aspects needed to develop infrastructure in Papua, he remarked.
Amin also instructed the TNI commander to visit Papua and commit to a humane approach in fulfilling the instruction, Baidlowi noted.
“The TNI commander himself will visit Papua soon and execute all measures instructed by the vice president to ensure (security) approach in Papua will remain humane and also with firm territorial approaches,” the spokesperson remarked.
He added that the TNI commander accepted the vice president’s instruction to take “defensive active” measures in Papua.
Meanwhile, he said that Amin also told Admiral Ali about the beauty of the sea in Papua as well as the tuna fish export potential that he had observed during the visit to Biak Numfor, Papua.
As Papua hold huge potential for Indonesia, the vice president expected security measures to be enhanced to maintain security in the maritime territory in Papua and the wider Indonesian region.
“The vice president asked (the military) to secure maritime resources in Papua and maintain other aspects well,” Baidlowi remarked.
Earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) welcomed Admiral Margono’s plan to prioritize a humane approach in the Papua region.
After inaugurating Margono as the new TNI commander on December 19, 2022, Jokowi said that despite the commitment to accord priority to a humane approach, Margono must remain firm against armed criminal groups disrupting security in the region.
“I think the humane approach is good. The reduction of TNI personnel in Papua is also good, but we must remain firm. If we fail to be firm, the armed criminal groups will continue their actions, and the issue will not be resolved,” Jokowi stated.
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