Commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI) General Andika Perkasa has ordered a crackdown on 2nd Private Yotam Bugiangge, who deserted the 756/Wimane Sili infantry battalion in Papua along with an assault rifle.
“The TNI commander has ordered the army investigators and TNI authorities to enforce the law against the deserted soldier, and those assisting him to commit the crime,” TNI spokesperson Maj. Gen. Prantara Santosa stated.
Bugiangge, who stole an SS2 V1 assault rifle while deserting his unit, has breached several chapters of the Military Code (KUHPM), Law No. 8 of 1948 on Firearms, and Law No.12 of 1951 on Illegal Possession of Firearms, he pointed out.
The suspect exited along with the rifle without ammunition from his unit in Keerom District, Papua Province, on December 17, 2021 at 5 p.m. local time, Santosa noted in a statement that ANTARA quoted here, Tuesday.
Santosa remarked that the TNI and related authorities are on the lookout for the absconding soldier, whose motive behind abandoning his military duty and theft of the rifle had yet to be uncovered.
ANTARA noted that illegal arms trade had become a challenge for the Indonesian security personnel stationed in Papua Province.
On October 21, 2020, Chief Brigadier JH, an officer of the police’s elite mobile brigade, was arrested for alleged involvement in arms trafficking activities with armed Papuan criminal groups’
In addition to JH, police investigators also apprehended two civilians, including an ex-member of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), in South Sulawesi Province, according to the Papua police.
JH was arrested in Nabire District along with an M16 rifle and M4 carbine. The two assault rifles would have likely been sold to a notorious armed criminal group in Papua.
Papua has borne witness to a spate of violence against civilians and security personnel in the past few years.
Intan Jaya recorded its bloodiest month in September 2020, with notorious armed groups launching a series of attacks that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians and left two others injured.
The armed groups have continued their acts of terror this year, too.
On April 25, 2021, Papuan separatists, operating in Beoga, ambushed State Intelligence Agency (Papua) chief I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha and several security personnel during their visit to Dambet Village. Nugraha died of gunshot wounds.
Source: Antara News