Civil Society Coalition Urges TNI to Cancel Combat Alert Operation in Papua

Civil Society Coalition Urges TNI to Cancel Combat Alert Operation in Papua

The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform has urged the TNI to cancel combat alert operations in vulnerable areas in Papua. 

The combat alert operation was carried out in the aftermath of the attack by the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) which killed one Indonesian Army soldier and five soldiers are still missing in Nduga, Papua Mountains. 

Chairman of the Centra Initiative Al Araf from the coalition representative said the choice of combat alert operation was a policy that would continue to produce a spiral of violence. 

"If that is the policy choice to be pursued, then the coalition urges that the plan be cancelled," said Araf in a press release, Tuesday (18/4/2023) evening. 

Araf said that the militaristic security approach that has been implemented so far in Papua has had a direct and indirect impact on violence and human rights violations in Papua. 

Several cases have emerged in the public, for example, the killing of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani in 2020, up to the mutilation of four civilians in Papua in 2022. 

Then there are also cases of torture of three children accused of committing theft in 2022. 

According to Araf, so far the practice of impunity has always been a problem that continues to occur in violence involving security forces in Papua. 

Because of this, law enforcement to break the chain of impunity is considered important to prevent the recurrence of violence by security forces against civilians in Papua. 

Araf emphasized that the evaluation of the militaristic security approach in Papua must begin immediately. 

This evaluation can be carried out by means of a rearrangement of the strength of the TNI troops in Papua. 

"So far, there are indications that there has been an increasingly disproportionate increase in the number of TNI troop presences in line with the continued expansion of organic structures and the sending of non-organic TNI troops from outside Papua," he explained. 

Araf also assessed that, from a legality and accountability point of view, the involvement of the TNI in handling Papua has many problems that are not in line with Law (UU) Number 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI. 

Araf explained that Article 7 Paragraph (3) of the TNI Law emphasized that the implementation of Military Operations Other Than War (OMSP) by the TNI, including in this case the handling of separatism and assistance to the police, must be based on state political decisions or decisions consulted with the DPR RI. 

Based on investigations by one of the organizations that are also members of the coalition, Imparsial, noted that until now the government has never issued a written policy related to the deployment of TNI troops to Papua. 

"Thus, from a legal standpoint, the involvement of the military can be said to be illegal," he stressed. 

Reportedly, TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono raised the status of TNI operations in Nduga to combat alert. 

This followed the attack by the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) on 36 TNI personnel in the Mugi District, Nduga, Highlands Papua which resulted in the death of Private Private Miftahul Arifin, Saturday (15/4/2023). ? 

"We are still carrying out law enforcement operations using a soft approach, from the beginning I have said that, but of course with conditions like this, in certain areas we will change it to a combat alert operation," said the Commander in Mimika, Central Papua through a voice recording which was distributed, Tuesday ( 18/4/2023). 

Koalisi Masyarakat Sipil Desak TNI Batalkan Operasi Siaga Tempur di Papua

Koalisi Masyarakat Sipil untuk Reformasi Sektor Keamanan mendesak TNI membatalkan operasi siaga tempur di daerah rawan di Papua.

Operasi siaga tempur diterapkan buntut peristiwa penyerangan Kelompok Kriminal Bersenjata (KKB) yang menewaskan satu prajurit TNI Angkatan Darat dan lima prajurit masih hilang di Nduga, Papua Pegunungan.

Ketua Centra Initiative Al Araf dari perwakilan koalisi menyebut pilihan operasi siaga tempur merupakan kebijakan yang akan terus memproduksi spiral kekerasan.

"Jika itu pilihan kebijakan yang akan ditempuh, maka koalisi mendesak agar rencana itu dibatalkan," kata Araf dalam siaran pers, Selasa (18/4/2023) malam.

Araf menuturkan, pendekatan keamanan militeristik yang dijalankan selama ini di Papua secara langsung dan tidak langsung berdampak terhadap terjadinya kekerasan dan pelanggaran HAM di Papua.

Beberapa kasus yang sempat mencuat ke publik, misalnya, pembunuhan terhadap Pendeta Yeremia Zanambani pada 2020), hingga pembunuhan yang disertai mutilasi terhadap empat orang warga sipil di Papua pada 2022.

Kemudian ada pula kasus penyiksaan terhadap tiga orang anak yang dituduh melakukan pencurian pada 2022.

Menurut Araf, selama ini praktik impunitas selalu menjadi persoalan yang terus terjadi dalam kekerasan yang melibatkan aparat keamanan di Papua.

Karena itu, penegakkan hukum untuk memutus mata rantai impunitas dinilai menjadi penting untuk mencegah berulangnya kekerasan aparat keamanan terhadap masyarakat sipil di Papua.

Araf menegaskan, evaluasi pendekatan keamanan militeristik di Papua harus dimulai segera.

Evaluasi tersebut bisa dilakukan dengan upaya penataan ulang terhadap gelar kekuatan pasukan TNI di Papua.

"Selama ini, ada indikasi terjadi peningkatan jumlah kehadiran pasukan TNI yang semakin tidak proporsional seiring dengan terus dijalankannya pemekaran struktur organik dan pengiriman pasukan TNI non-organik dari luar Papua," terang dia.

Araf juga menilai, dari sisi legalitas dan akuntabilitas, pelibatan TNI dalam penanganan Papua memiliki banyak persoalan yang tidak sejalan dengan Undang-Undang (UU) Nomor 34 Tahun 2004 tentang TNI.

Araf menjelaskan, Pasal 7 Ayat (3) UU TNI menegaskan pelaksanaan Operasi Militer Selain Perang (OMSP) oleh TNI, termasuk dalam hal ini penanganan separatisme dan perbantuan terhadap kepolisian, harus didasarkan pada keputusan politik negara atau keputusan yang dikonsultasikan kepada DPR RI.

Berdasarkan penelusuran salah satu organisasi yang turut tergabung dalam koalisi, Imparsial, mencatat hingga saat ini pemerintah tidak pernah mengeluarkan kebijakan tertulis terkait dengan pengerahan pasukan TNI ke Papua.

"Dengan demikian, dari sisi hukum, pelibatan militer tersebut dapat dikatakan ilegal," tegas dia.

Diberitakan, Panglima TNI Laksamana Yudo Margono meningkatkan status operasi TNI di Nduga menjadi siaga tempur.

Hal itu menyusul serangan Kelompok Kriminal Bersenjata (KKB) terhadap 36 personel TNI di Distrik Mugi, Nduga, Papua Pegunungan yang mengakibatkan Pratu Miftahul Arifin gugur, Sabtu (15/4/2023). ?

"Kita tetap melakukan operasi penegakan hukum dengan soft approach dari awal saya sudah dampaikan itu, tapi tentunya dengan kondisi seperti ini, di daerah tertentu kita ubah menjadi operasi siaga tempur," kata Panglima di Mimika, Papua Tengah melalui rekaman suara yang dibagikan, Selasa (18/4/2023).