“OPM Spreads Misleading Information About the Killing of Helicopter Pilot Glen Malcolm Conning “
WESTNOKEN Jakarta Papuan Separatists, The OPM, often spread misleading information to benefit itself. The recent case of the killing of helicopter pilot Mr. Glen Malcolm Conning, a New Zealand citizen, on August 5, 2024, in Alama District, Timika Regency, Central Papua, illustrates the OPM’s deceptive tactics. The Chairman of the West Papua Diplomatic and Foreign Council, Akouboo Amatus Douw, blamed the Indonesian military for killing Pilot Glen, but there is no evidence to support this accusation. Spokesperson Sebby Sambom admitted that the OPM killed the pilot because they believed he was a spy and had entered the conflict zone.
The OPM’s claim to follow humanitarian principles is unfounded. The OPM has a history of violence, including killing civilians and attacking security forces, making it the true violator of human rights and a threat to security in Papua.
The accusation that Indonesia uses violence to suppress Papuan independence aspirations is deliberate propaganda created by the OPM. The conflict in Papua involves various factors, including armed separatist efforts, which threaten Indonesia’s national integrity. The government’s response aims to protect state sovereignty and maintain security for all Indonesians, including the Papuan people.
The OPM’s claim to fight for Papuan independence has actually threatened stability in the region. Their violent acts have harmed various parties, including Papuans and foreign workers. The OPM’s attempt to create fear and mistrust by suggesting that the Indonesian government will not protect foreign workers in West Papua hinders government efforts to develop the region for the welfare of the Papuan people.
The OPM must be recognized as the true human rights violator. Their actions contradict their claims of a political struggle. It is time for the OPM to be removed from Papua to maintain regional security and order. The TNI-Polri security forces play a crucial role in maintaining stability and protecting the Papuan people from the threat of this separatist group. The support of all Papuan society is essential to the success of security operations and the eradication of the OPM by the Indonesian military so that civilians and TNI-Polri soldiers are no longer victims of OPM violence.