Jayapura – Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian revealed several sources of supply and ammunition for weapons belonging to the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) in Papua. Tito, who served as Papua Police Chief in 2012, explained that the supply of illegal firearms entering Papua came from Papua New Guinea.
“I was the Regional Police Chief there (Papua), as far as I know, there have been a few cases but not many,” said Tito when asked about whether the weapons used by the KKB came from the rat route on the Papua-PNG border, Thursday (25/5/2023).
These weapons can enter through land routes, spreading from the border in the Jayapura area to Merauke. Nevertheless, it is considered that there are not many cases of illegal weapons entering through the rat route at the Papua-PNG border.
According to him, the illegal weapons were also the result of confiscation after a shootout between Papuan armed groups and security forces. “Most of the weapons were confiscated from the authorities who were careless,” he said.
Not only that, continued Tito, the illegal weapons used by the KKB came from areas that had been in conflict, such as the Armed Ambon Conflict. This is because the remaining weapons after the conflict were resold.
“Many of the weapons have ended the conflict. These are still being kept, those being sold by those in conflict,” said Tito.
Tito added that the Philippines is one of the main suppliers of firearms used by the KKB. The country directly adjacent to Miangas Island, North Sulawesi is known for having a home industry of good quality weapons.
“Some of them entered by sea, some by air. There was a pilot who was arrested,” he added
Previously, the Papua Police Chief Inspector General of Police Mathius Fakhiri emphasized that his members would continue to explore the suppliers of funds to the KKB, be they civilians or officials or ASN. Mathius said that it was true that members were continuing to investigate financial assistance to the KKB because it was alleged that a lot of funds had been disbursed to help the KKB.
