OPM’s action to kill a New Zealand pilot is a serious human rights violation

By: Serlina Wayar*

The Free Papua Organization (OPM) has again carried out its barbaric and cruel action, namely by killing a New Zealand helicopter pilot, which is clearly a violation of Human Rights (HAM) at a serious level and can no longer be denied. despite various propaganda efforts from the separatist gangs of the country’s enemies to cover up their crimes.

Indeed, after carrying out a very heinous and barbaric act, namely killing a New Zealand helicopter pilot, in fact the Free Papua Organization (OPM) actually seems to not want to take responsibility at all and they actually put out a number of propaganda issues to cover up the concrete facts on the ground.

However, despite the OPM’s efforts and efforts to cover up the facts of the New Zealand pilot’s murder case using various propaganda methods, in fact they cannot at all eliminate the fact that what they did was a serious human rights violation.

The murder of a New Zealand helicopter pilot named Glen Malcolm Conning also drew criticism from a number of parties. The Chief of General Staff of the Indonesian National Army (Kasum TNI), Lieutenant General (Letjen) Richard Tampubolon, strongly criticized the actions of the separatist gangs, enemies of the nation, for violating human rights.

Of course, the action they carried out was a very barbaric and cruel act because it resulted in the death of a pilot from PT Intan Angkasa. At the same time, the OPM’s actions show that they are truly inhumane.

Security forces not only provide security, but also provide assistance to the local regional government (Pemda) to provide various services for the community’s basic needs.

Therefore, the security forces immediately took action when they learned that apart from killing the New Zealand pilot, it turned out that the OPM had also taken a number of health workers (nakes) hostage.

Knowing this, the security forces immediately dispatched a number of personnel to penetrate various obstacles such as weather conditions and the possibility of an attack in the form of gunfire from the Free Papua Organization in order to rescue and evacuate all the hostages.

The security forces also strive to continue implementing inclusive social communication in order to support efforts to accelerate development in the Papua region that the Indonesian Government is intensifying.

Sadly, after carrying out murders and taking health workers hostage, OPM actually planned other heinous things by spreading a series of propaganda, causing people to become even more afraid.

The terrorist group continues to carry out propaganda actions, intimidating residents and making them fear that there will be a military operation, causing people to flee their hometowns.

Also cruelly, the OPM denied that they were involved and were the perpetrators in the murder of the New Zealand pilot by arguing that it was as if in the Alama District area of ​​Mimika Regency, Central Papua there were no headquarters or activities of its members.

Meanwhile, the Chair of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Indonesia (Komnas HAM RI), Atnike Nova Sigiro also strongly criticized the murder by the Free Papua Organization of a helicopter pilot belonging to PT Intan Angkasa Air Service.

Komnas HAM also provides full support to law enforcers so that they are able to take very firm action against the perpetrators who have caused casualties and resulted in the loss of life.

The right to life, the right to be free from fear and also the right to humane treatment are human rights that must continue to be guaranteed, protected and are the responsibility of the state. So of course the government takes various kinds of steps to protect and restore victims.

On the other hand, the Head of the Peace Cartenz 2024 Operations Public Relations Task Force (Kasatgas Humas Ops), Police Commissioner (Kombes Pol) Bayu Suseno said that indeed the OPM was just a group of troublemakers who liked to carry out propaganda efforts.

Moreover, in fact the Free Papua Organization does not have any basic knowledge of Humanitarian Law. They often even justify the crimes they often commit, including the murder of civilians, immigrants, as well as OAPs who work as health workers, teachers, motorbike taxi drivers and most recently, New Zealand pilots.

Even though OPM tries hard to deny it, in reality the cruel and barbaric act they committed by killing the New Zealand pilot cannot be denied, that this is a case of serious human rights violations.

*) Law Student at Cenderawasih University (Uncen)