Public Services Restart in Wamena

KOMPAS/FABIO M LOPES COSTA

A woman buys chilies at Potikelek Market, Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, which returned to normal operations on Monday (7/10/2019).

WAMENA, KOMPAS — Schools and public services started reopening on Monday (7/10/2019) in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, with hundreds of civil servants and students resuming daily activities under heavy military and police presence.

Hundreds of civil servants were at their offices by 8 a.m.-10 a.m. Eastern Indonesian Time (WIT) at the Wene Hele Hubi Autonomy Building, which houses 10 agencies including the fisheries, tourism, social affairs, regional disaster management and transportation agencies.

Meanwhile, learning activities had resumed at SMAN 1 Wamena senior high school, SMPN 1 Wamena junior, the Santo Thomas Catholic Education and Schools Foundation (YPPK) elementary school, the Santo Yusuf YPPK elementary school and Santa Theresia kindergarten.

Schools saw attendance rates from 10 percent to 20 percent. At SMPN 1 Wamena, 190 out of 1,097 students attended school on Monday, while Santo Yusuf YPPK elementary school saw 42 of its 489 students in attendance.

Curricular activities, however, have yet to resume fully. Teachers spent most of the classroom hours on Monday providing games for the students to play, to help them overcome their trauma. Teachers and students also cleaned their schools, many of which had broken windows due to the rioting on 23 Sept.

KOMPAS/FABIO M LOPES COSTA

Up to 190 students of SMP Negeri 1 state junior high school in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, shake hands with their teachers as a sign of the start of learning activities on Monday (7/10/2019). Previously, school activities throughout Wamena were halted due to riots on Sept. 23.

The students looked cheerful during the school cleanup, which was then followed by more games.

Jayawijaya Education Agency secretary Bambang Budiandoyo said the agency was monitoring activities at 10 schools that were directly affected by the riots, comprising four elementary schools, three junior high schools and three senior high schools. Most of the students and teachers were absent from these schools, as they had fled to other cities.

“School activities are currently focusing on helping teachers and students recover from their trauma. We are involving [NGO] Wahana Visi Indonesia in managing these activities for two weeks,” said Bambang.

SMAN 1 Wamena principal Yoseph Wibisono said that the school had to cancel its mid-semester exam on 23 Sept. “Presently, 200 out of 947 students are in attendance. Furthermore, 34 out of 52 teachers are in attendance. We are focusing on healing from the trauma and preparing for the semester exam in November,” he said.

Jayawijaya Regent John Richard Banua said that he appreciated the teachers and students for going back to school. He expressed the hope that this would also motivate other students and teachers to come back to school.

KOMPAS/FABIO M LOPES COSTA

Social Affairs Ministry Social Protection and Social Security Director General Harry Hikmat meets with representatives of people displaced from Nduga regency in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, on Monday (7/10/2019).

Mily Meldawati, the coordinator of the Social Affairs Ministry’s psychosocial services support team, said that the team was working with 10 counselors of the Family Hope Program (PKH) to provide trauma recovery activities for teachers at schools that were affected in the riots.

Economic activities

Economic activities have also restarted in Wamena. Local businesspeople have reopened their stores on Jl. Yos Sudarso, Jl. Irian, Jl. Pattimura, Jl. Safre Darwin and Jl. Bhayangkara. Several traditional markets have also reopened, including Potikelek Market and Sinakma Market.

Zainal, 40, who sells staple goods, said that he had reopened his shop on 28 Sept. He said he believed that the situation in Wamena would improve with the heavy military and police presence. “Many of the local residents have begun shopping again, even if many are still in Jayapura or back in their hometowns. The local people need shops that sell staple goods,” he said.

Silas Papare Air Force Base commander Air Marshal Tri Bowo Budi Santoso said that the military had ceased all Hercules aircraft evacuation services from Wamena to Jayapura at noon on Monday. “Only one flight carrying 141 evacuees departed to Jayapura,” he said.

KOMPAS/FABIO M LOPES COSTA

Students clean a classroom at Wamena 1 state junior high school in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, Monday (7/10/2019).

Meanwhile, for security reasons and to alleviate tensions in Papua, the National Police has transferred seven individuals suspected of instigating the riots from Jayapura to East Kalimantan, the operational center of the investigation and the trial venue. National Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Asep Adi Saputra said in Jakarta that the detainees’ transfer had been communicated to and coordinated with Papuan leaders and regional heads.

The seven suspects are West Papua National Committee (KNPB) chair Agus Kossay, KNPB Mimika head Steven Itlay, United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) deputy chair Buchtar Tabuni, Jayapura Science and Technology University student council president Alexander Gobai and student activists Irwanus Uropmabin, Fery Kombo and Hengki Hilapok.

(FLO/SAN)