Police Out in Numbers as Jokowi Visits Papua

Jakarta Globe, Banjir Ambarita, Dec 27, 2014

Protesters outside the Malang Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) earlier
in December demanded President Joko Widodo cancel his visit to Papua
at Christmas. (Antara Photo/Ari Bowo)

Jayapura. Indonesian police and military deployed officers from throughout Papua on Saturday as President Joko Widodo arrived in the separatist eastern province to attend a Christmas celebration.

“We will deploy the officers from Sentani and Wamena for security, but that’s only for the external security. For the internal security hundreds of soldiers will also be deployed,” Cendrawasih military commander Maj.Gen. Fransen. G. Siahaan told the Jakarta Globe on Saturday.

Joko was scheduled to attend a Christmas celebration at Mandala stadium in Jayapura. Fransen said thousands of police officers would be mobilized to secure streets used by the president to and from the stadium.

Fransen said security would also be focused in Wamena.

“The dangerous spot is in Wamena where the president will visit on his second day here before he heads to Sorong then Jakarta,” he said.

Joko was scheduled to arrive in Jayapura at 2:45 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time accompanied by 11 cabinet ministers.