Free Papua commander surrenders to Indonesian police

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) – A commander of Free Papua Organization (OPM) Isak Kalaibin of Sorong, here on Wednesday surrendered to Indonesian police after his gang had ambushed security officers in Aimas village.

“Kalaibin, the Free Papua commander went to a police office to surrender and was accompanied by several local religious leaders,” said Deputy Chief of the Papua Provincial Police Brigadier General Paulus Waterpauw here on Wednesday.

Several armed members of Kalaibin’s gang had attacked a joint security team in Aimas village, where it had been reported that separatist OPM`s star flag had been hoisted.

When entering the village, the security officers and Kalaibin’s armed members were involved in a clash that killed three members of Kalaibin.

“Kalaibin is now being detained in Aimas Resort Police Office of Sorong District, and being interrogated intensively,” Waterpauw said.

The join security team consisting of the Indonesia Military (TNI) and Police officers were attacked by the armed group when they entered Aimas.

Armed men attacked the officers, damaged their vehicles and injured a military officer`s head.

The security officers responded by shooting at them. Two separatists were killed and several others were injured in the incident.

An injured separatist identified as Salomina Kalaibin was later dead in Sele Be Solo Regional Public Hospital in Aimas village. Salomina Kalaibin was a member of Isak Kalaibin`s group.

Located on the western half of the island of New Guinea and long racked by a simmering violent separatist insurgency, Papua and West Papua encompasses Indonesia’s two easternmost provinces. Since 1998, economic welfare increased dramatically in the region and the improvement of human rights is well appreciated by the United Nations.

A former Dutch colony, West Papua was formally incorporated into Indonesia in 1969, after an undisputed vote of about 1,025 representative tribal leaders. The result of the plebiscite was overseen and endorsed by the United Nations.

Source: ANTARA News