MRP Expresses Concern over Violence in Lany Jaya

Reported by Alfian Rumagit Jayapura, Papu (Antara) - The chairman of the Religions Working Group of the Papuan People Council (MRP), Samuel K Waromi, expressed concern here on Friday over violent incidents, especially in Lanny Jaya and Puncak Jaya, recently. "We are very worried. Violence is still continuing in the Central Papua Hill region," he said. He said that shooting incidents in Lanny Jaya or in Papua have been occurring in general because of past trauma and so had to be tackled efficiently through religious and local traditional approaches and not through security approach by the government. "MRP wishes to mediate but lacks sufficient funds. However, we hope to get involved in helping to resolve the problem," he said. He said MRP through its religions working group could assist in the effort, but so far MRP lacked the necessary funds for the journey to Lanny Jaya. "We have no money, but as a cultural institution we have to be on the field to listen to what people need and find solutions to their issues," he said. The violent clashes between TNI (army)/Police and armed civilian group or Free Papua Movement (OPM) members in Lanny Jaya, Samuel said, should not have happened if all sides had exercised restraint and cooperated to find solutions. "Religion does not condone violence of any kind. So, problems must be settled elegantly," Samuel, who is also chairman of the Synod of the Indonesia Bethel Church Association, said. Two police officers were killed on Monday and several others wounded following a clash with an armed civilian group in Lanny Jaya. On Friday morning, a TNI member was wounded following a shootout with armed group. (*)