The Papua conflict has made more and more residents flee from their villages. They feared KKB (armed criminal group) terror and chose to go to other districts. This time, they are Nduga residents from the Kroptak district. Read on to learn more about the rescue of Nduga residents below.
Facts about Nduga Regency
Nduga is one of the regencies in the province of the Papua Mountains. The district capital of Nduga is the Kenyam district. The regency, which has an area of about 837 kilometers away, also has around 32 districts and 248 villages.
In 2011, from the population census data, it was recorded that around 110,357 people were living in this district. Meanwhile, based on the Human Development Index, this district has the lowest HDI rate among other districts in Indonesia. In 2021, the district’s HDI figure was only 32.84.
However, President Jokowi still pays attention to development in this regency. One of them is his visit to Kenyam Village with the First Lady. At that time, he reviewed the construction of the connecting road between Nduga and Wamena.
The President said that constructing the connection road was the government’s effort to distribute logistics to and from Mumugu village.
It is unfortunate that, in fact, the Nduga regency is one of several areas in Papua that are vulnerable to being targeted by terror from the KKB. Because of this, the frightened residents chose to flee their area.
Residents of Nduga Refuge to Avoid Terror
The Nduga districts are vulnerable to being targeted by terror from the KKB. As a result, many residents choose to flee to other areas to avoid being terrorized. Those who fled were willing to walk for days carrying whatever possessions they could carry.
At the end of March 2023, as many as 52 Nduga residents were found by the Yonif R 514 Kostrad (Army Strategic Reserved Command) Task Force patrol team.
The team, led by Infantry Captain Mahardika, found several people walking in the forest and looked confused. The team that was on patrol in the Kalimin area then asked them some questions.
They said they were not native to the Kenyam district. They came from Kroptak district and wanted to go to Kenyam district for fear of the terror of the KKB. That’s why they walked for 4 days through the forest while carrying the treasures they could carry, e.g., farm animals like pigs.
Efforts to Facilitate Refugee Nduga Residents
Captain of Yonif R514 Kostrad, Rinto Wijaya, together with the Head of the Nduga Police, Rio Alexander Panelewen, led a joint TNI-Polri team to help Nduga residents evacuation to the Kenyam district. The residents were escorted using several vehicles to the Kenyam Police Office.
The Nduga residents received health services from the joint TNI-Polri health team there. The joint team also gave them food because some residents, women, and children, were hungry.
In his written statement, Lt. Col. Inf. Rinto Wijaya said that most of the residents were in good health.
His party also said that in the future, they would facilitate the residents of the Kroptak district with whatever assistance they needed. Some of the most important are logistical assistance and moral assistance. The logistical assistance provided included food, clothing, blankets, and many more.
Meanwhile, moral assistance is very important for them, especially children, to heal the deep trauma they experienced due to the KKB terror. So, the rescue of Nduga residents won’t stop by taking them to safer places but also helping them heal their trauma. Meanwhile, the Government of Indonesia is also obliged to protect its citizens, wherever they are, including in Nduga, against threats of all kinds of terror.
