Wamena, Papua (ANTARA) - The Commanding Officer of the 751/Vira Jaya Sakti Infantry Battalion's Task Force recently visited a tribal leader at Werasugunasso village of Walesi sub-district, Jayawijaya district, Papua, for a "silaturrahim" (friendly meeting).
During the friendly meeting, aimed to uphold the Indonesian military's (TNI) unity with local tribal and community leaders, Lt.Col.Dedy Dwi Cahyadi was accompanied by an army officer from the Walesi military post.
Friendly relations between the TNI personnel stationed in the sub-district and local tribal and community members would help maintain peace and security, he said in a statement that ANTARA received here Saturday.
Tribal leader Sadik Asso thanked Cahyadi for the visit and for bringing staple food packages for the people.
Over the past few months, Asso said he could not visit the Walesi military post because he happened to be in Jayapura.
He said he was told that Cahyadi continued to uphold good friendship and unity with local community leaders.
"May this harmonious relationship be well maintained," he remarked.
To strengthen the TNI's relationship with various elements of society in Papua and West Papua, TNI Commander General Andika Perkasa has emphasized the importance of social communication.
Social communication has also become a part of TNI's territorial guidance and is among the priority programs assigned to the working units of TNI headquarters in the two easternmost provinces, he said.
Promoting good and effective social communication with local communities in the two provinces would help build collective understanding and togetherness for maintaining Indonesia's sovereignty, he told a virtual TNI meeting, broadcast on Youtube on January 2, 2022.
Papua has borne witness to a spate of violence against civilians and security personnel in the past few years.
Intan Jaya recorded its bloodiest month in September 2020, with notorious armed groups launching a series of attacks that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians and left two others injured.
The armed groups continued their acts of terror in 2021, too.
On April 25, 2021, Papuan separatists operating in Beoga ambushed Papua's State Intelligence Agency Chief I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha and several security personnel during their visit to Dambet village.
Nugraha died of gunshot wounds sustained in the attack.
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