Jakarta (BERITAPOLITIK.ONLINE) — In a closed-door coordination meeting convened by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Marshal TNI (Ret.) Hadi Tjahjanto, high-ranking officials from the Indonesian Military (TNI), National Police (Polri), State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Defense gathered to address the evolving situation in Papua.
The closed-door coordination session took place at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs in Jakarta on Friday. Despite the closed nature of the meeting, glimpses were shared through official channels, with the TNI Information Center distributing select photos of the session on Friday, April 19, 2024.
Among the attendees captured in the photos were Minister of Communication and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi, TNI Commander General TNI Agus Subiyanto, National Police Chief General Pol. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Lieutenant General TNI Teguh Pudjo Rumekso, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Jhon Wempi Wetipo, Deputy Head of the State Intelligence Agency Lieutenant General TNI I Nyoman Cantiasa, Head of the Strategic Intelligence Agency TNI Major General TNI Yudi Abrimantyo, and Head of Intelligence and Security of the National Police Commissioner Pol. Suntana.
As of now, there has been no official statement released by the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs or any other relevant agencies regarding the meeting’s outcomes. However, concerning the handling of the Papua situation, on April 5, 2024, the TNI Commander instructed a shift in the terminology used for separatist groups in Papua from terrorist/armed criminal groups (KST/KKB) to the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
Nevertheless, the National Police (Polri) continues to refer to these separatist groups as KKB.
Regarding the TNI Commander’s directive, analysts suggest the need for a reconsideration of the country’s political decisions in determining the status of separatist groups in Papua.
Military analyst from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), Khairul Fahmi, explained that without a change in the country’s political decisions, the TNI Commander’s decision to alter the terminology from KST to OPM holds little significance.
“Without a change in policy and state decisions, TNI’s non-war military operations in Papua will remain the same as before, namely supporting the National Police in maintaining security and order,” Fahmi stated, as reported by ANTARA in Jakarta on Tuesday, April 16.
Fahmi believes that the TNI Commander’s decision to rebrand KST as OPM could serve as an opportunity to reassess the possibility of altering the country’s policies and political decisions regarding separatist organizations in Papua.
He also sees the name change as indicative of a hope for a more proactive role from the TNI in addressing separatist groups in Papua, especially considering the current scenario where the TNI assists the National Police, such as in the Peace Task Force Cartenz.
“Nevertheless, it’s clear that the armed groups’ actions in Papua aren’t solely aimed at disrupting security but also at separatism, along with engaging in terror activities to demoralize soldiers and intimidate civilians,” said Khairul Fahmi, who is also a co-founder of ISESS.
