Indonesian Police to Investigate Two Policemen for Selling Arms to Papuan Insurgents

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Indonesian National Police has sent a special team from its Internal Affairs Unit [Propam] to join an ongoing investigation of two police officers suspected of selling arms to Papuan insurgents or so-called ‘Armed Criminal Groups’ or KKB.

Propam head Inspector General Ferdy Sambo announced that the team will be working with the Maluku Regional Police. “The suspects were from the Police Departments for Ambon Island and Lease Island,” he said in a press release on Monday, February 22.

“If they are proven to carry out any wrongdoing, we will take their case to court. Propam will convene its Ethics Commission once the court delivers its verdict.” Ferdy also urged the Indonesian public to report any suspected wrongdoing by the police.

Maluku Regional Police spokesman Police Grand Commissioner Muhamad Roem Ohoirat confirmed that the two policemen, whose names and ranks remained anonymous due to the investigation, were arrested for dealing weapons to the insurgents.

Also read: Indonesia Highlights: The Police Find Financial Irregularities in Papua's Special Autonomy | Father of Indonesian Soldier KIA in Papua Urge End of Conflict | Indonesia Readies 18 Million Covid-19 Vaccines for Second Mass Vaccination

“We started to uncover the case after [investigators from the West Papuan Regional Police] arrested a civilian in [the West Papuan town of] Bintuni who was found with a police issue revolver and an improvised rifle, as well as ammunition for the weapons,” he said.

“Under questioning, he admitted that he got the weapons from a policeman stationed in Ambon.”

Roem noted that the confession “prompted Maluku Regional Police chief Inspector General Refdi Andri to order a joint investigation with the West Papua Regional Police, which resulted in the apprehension of the two suspects.”

He asserted that the men’s actions shamed and discredited the police, which have been aiding the army in quelling the insurgency in Papua’s Intan Jaya regency. “There will be no tolerance for the men because of their actions.”

Also read: Thousands of Civilians Flee Insurgency in Papua's Intan Jaya Regency 

Police in Maluku arrested six people, including the two policemen, for selling arms to the armed criminal groups in Papua.

The insurgency has killed dozens of Indonesian soldiers and insurgent as well as Papuan civilians throughout 2020, most notably Papuan priest Yeremia Zanambani last September. The conflict also displaced thousands of people from their homes.

(Writers: Tsarina Maharani, Rahmat Rahman Patty, Ambon Contributor | Editor : Diamanty Meiliana, David Oliver Purba)

Sources: 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/02/22/14132591/propam-polri-kirim-tim-khusus-ke-maluku-selidiki-2-polisi-penjual-senjata. 

https://regional.kompas.com/read/2021/02/21/13222781/2-anggota-polisi-di-maluku-ditangkap-karena-jual-senjata-dan-amunisi-ke-kkb?page=all#page2.