Jakarta blames independence leader Benny Wanda for Papua unrest

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Detik News – September 2, 2019
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Wiranto speaking a press conference on Papua – September 2, 2019 (Detik)
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Wiranto speaking a press conference on Papua – September 2, 2019 (Detik)
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Eva Safitri, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Wiranto has spoken out about the alleged involvement of Papuan separatist figure Benny Wenda accusing him of being part of a conspiracy which triggered the recent rights in Papua.

According to Wiranto, Wenda often provides misleading information on Papua and the government must fight back with the truth.

“I think that it’s true that Benny is part of a conspiracy to [create] these problems. But we must fight back with the truth, fight back with facts against his untruthful provocations, information that is misleading can only be countered by the existing facts”, said Wiranto at the Kemenko Polhukam offices in Central Jakarta on Monday September 2.

Wiranto said that Wenda has a very high level of activity visiting overseas countries to provide false information on the situation in Papua as if the Indonesian government is not taking care of Papua. He also cited Wenda as spreading lies as if as if there is a great deal of persecution in Papua happening every day.

“For some time Benny Wenda’s level of activity has been very high, going here and there, to overseas countries, agitating by providing false information, yes and we already know that they are indeed constantly trying to provoke things overseas as if Indonesia isn’t taking care of Papua and West Papua. As if we are neglecting Papua, as if there are many human rights violations every day, lots of persecution, killings, but all of this is untrue right, and this can only be countered with actual information”, he said.

Wiranto claimed that the government has already done a great deal to straighten out the lies spread by Wenda. He also said that the government has invited the heads of state from several countries in the South Pacific to visit and find out the real situation is in Papua.

“After they visit, many of them are shocked over the reality that they see and the information that they have received, it’s very different they say, yes we’ve been lied to all this time. The reality is that in Papua, West Papua, [infrastructure] development is awesome, the [rest of the] country is being outdone by development in Papua, West Papua, airports, sea ports, infrastructure, roads which connect cities to each other, offices, the administration, even the cross-border buildings are very mega”, he said.

Indonesian police chief General Tito Karnavian earlier said that there were foreign parties involved in the series of riots in Papua. Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko has confirmed this and says that one of the people is Papuan separatist figure Benny Wenda.

“Yes it’s clearly Benny Wenda, he’s mobilising the people, the masses. Mobilising misinformation, false [information]. He’s doing it Australia, in Britain” said Moeldoko at the presidential complex in Central Jakarta on Monday.

Moeldoko said that the problem is political one and that the government will adopt a political approach against Wenda who currently resides in Britain. (haf/fdn)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Wiranto Sebut Benny Wenda Bagian Konspirasi Masalah Papua”.]

Source: https://news.detik.com/berita/d-4690540/wiranto-sebut-benny-wenda-bagian-konspirasi-masalah-papua

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