Source of Picture : Berita Satu
Egianus Kagoya and his “Free West Papua” group committed the hideous crime of arson, destroying logistics for the general election in the Nduga regency in a desperate attempt to obstruct the proceedings of democracy. This brutal action was confirmed to have occured by one of the coordinators of the Papua Election Supervisory Agencies, Niko Tunjanan, who asserted that nothing could be saved due to the fire. These logistics consisted of ballot paper, C1 plano, C1 KWK and C1 KPU (General Election Commissions). He received this verification from KPU Secretary of Nduga Regency, Brihel Simanjuntak who reported to him on Tuesday morning, 23 of April 2019. Because of this incident, Bawaslu Papua has instructed Bawaslu Nduga to arrange re-voting in Meborok. Ultimately, the action of Egianus Kogoya and his group demonstrates the sheer disregard to the important of freedom and liberal democracy in Papua and Indonesia.
KPU Secretary of Nduga Regency, Brihel Simanjuntak stated that the Free West Papua group conducted act of terror, intimidated Election Committee members in Meborok District with weapons, then seized all election logistics from the District Meborok Office at 5 am local time on Thursday, 18 of April 2019.
Due to intimidation and threat from the Free West Papua group, the information regarding this event was delayed significantly, and Brihel only received news of it three days after its occurence. Then, he advises that due to the associated security risks in Meborok, re-election is not an option – there would be no police personnel to properly protect those wish to participate in the democratic process, and no documentation survived.
All of the 20 polling stations in Meborok are only guarded by District Committee Election members – as this is also the district where the Free West Papua group based, it is incredibly difficult to expect the democratic process to fully be realized within this danger-ridden area.
The capital city of Nduga, Kenyam, was considered an area appropriate for a polling station. The Javawijaya police chief, Tony Andana, agrees to run re-election in a safer place that is far from the danger present within Meborok.
A “Free West Papua” speaker, Sebby Sambon, vows to block all forms of general election as well as reject all Indonesian Government programs across the Papua regency and districts. Armed criminal actions to disrupt the electoral process were also carried out by the Egianus group during the 2018 Governor of Papua election. At that time, the group shot the Twin Otter aircraft belonging to the Trigana Air airline at Kenyam Airport, Nduga.
The plane was carrying 17 policemen in charge of securing the Papuan Governor election. As a result, pilot Ahmad Kamil suffered injuries from being hit by a bullet in the right back. At the same time, the group also shot and brutally massacred innocent residents living near the Kenyam Airport area. Three people were killed on the spot and two other people were injured.
The incident had caused the delay on the Papua Governor election in Nduga on June 27, 2018. Only with involvement of security forces, then the follow-up vote could be helm on the next day.
This brutal action shows the truth that the Free West Papua group is clearly try to undermine the development process in Papua as well as continuously devastating democracy process by obstructing the general election.
