Testimony from Paniai Regional Hospital Officer: Officials Turned It into a Military Base Hospital

Reporter

Ikhsan Reliubun

Editor

Iqbal Muhtarom

Sunday, 26 May 2024 17:21 IWST

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization or TPNPB-OPM highlighted the expulsion of people being treated at the Paniai Regional General Hospital (RUSD), Central Papua. The civil forces—later called the armed criminal group or KKB—said that the authorities used hospital facilities as a place of refuge.

“Because they were afraid of facing TPNPB, the Indonesian National Army used the Pania Regional General Hospital (RSUD) as a ‘human shield’ to protect themselves from TPNPB attacks,” said the spokesperson for the TPNPB-OPM National Command Headquarters Management, Sebby Sambom, in a written statement after -patient expulsion, Sunday, May 26 2024.

TPNPB-OPM quoted testimony from health workers regarding this incident, urging the patient to leave the treatment room. In this testimony, the hospital official stated that, for mutual safety, the Paniai Regional Hospital was temporarily closed in view of the dynamics of the Paniai situation. “Especially around the Paniai Regional Hospital, it has been used as a military base,” said a Paniai Regional Hospital officer, as quoted by Sebby.

The testimony explained that hospital employees were very traumatized by the situation in Paniai. He asked for prayers from the public so that the situation at Paniai Regional Hospital returns to normal activities. He said that the presence of the apparatus would have an impact on the safety of all hospital crew and patients. “We are afraid that wherever there are security forces, that will be the target of security disturbances,” he said.

“We feel that the targets were doctors, nurses, all RSUD employees, and more specifically patients who were being treated,” read the written testimony. According to Paniai Regional Hospital officials, the hospital is not a military base. The hospital environment is a base for sick people.

In his testimony, he stated that doctors and nurses obeyed the basic calling in accordance with the vision and mission of Paniai Regional Hospital. He stated that the TNI had violated the service code of ethics, especially violating humanitarian law. “In conclusion, the officer said, ‘This world still exists because righteous people still exist,'” said Sebby.

TPNPB-OPM Headquarters stated that on May 25 2024, a patient reported information from the Paniai Regional Hospital that the 3rd floor of the Regional Hospital in Enarotali, Paniai, was occupied and filled with TNI. “The patients at the Paniai Regional Hospital were told to go home because the TNI had occupied the Regional Hospital as a TNI defense headquarters to face the TPNPB-OPM,” said TPNPB-OPM.

TPNPB-OPM assessed that the hospital occupation had occurred in Intan Jaya. The patient’s healing house was used as the TNI-Polri headquarters. “So patients are forced to go home and sick people are afraid to come for treatment at the hospital,” said Sebby.

Paniai Resort Police Chief, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Abdus Syukur Felani, denied there was any expulsion of patients from the hospital. He said that the news was not true. He asked the public not to easily believe information whose source is unclear.

“It is not true that there is an expulsion of patients, in fact the presence of the TNI-Polri is to provide a sense of security to both patients and health workers,” said Abdus in a written statement on Sunday, May 26 2024. He said that the TNI-Polri secured the RSUD because it was a vital object that needed to be secured. to provide a sense of security to the community.

According to him, closing the door to the Emergency Room at Paniai Hospital is a precautionary measure. The hospital staff closed the emergency room door. The reason is that the door lock is broken. “To prevent theft from occurring in the room, RSUD officers closed it,” said Abdus.

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The third floor is occupied by security forces, Paniai Regional Hospital services are completely paralyzed

Paramedics are frightened by the presence of security forces at Paniai Regional Hospital. Inpatients were sent home and transferred to other hospitals.

May 26, 2024 in Political, Legal and Security Affairs

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Writer: Abeth You – Editor: Aries Munandar

Enarotali, Jubi – All medical services at the Regional General Hospital or Paniai Regional Hospital have been completely paralyzed since Sunday morning (26/5/2024). The paramedics were afraid because joint TNI and Polri troops occupied the third floor of the hospital building.

Paniai Hospital Director Agus said there were no paramedics on duty since the security forces occupied the third floor of the hospital building. Because of this, they entrusted six inpatients to the Deiyai Pratama General Hospital. The rest were transferred to the Enarotali Community Health Center and returned to their homes.

“So, temporarily services [at Paniai Regional Hospital] have been transferred to Enarotali Community Health Center and Deiyai Pratama General Hospital. “[Patients who are sent home] can still consult [with a doctor] by telephone,” said Agus via mobile instant message.

Agus said there were six inpatients transferred to Deiyai Pratama Hospital. They are pediatric patients.

“There is a pediatrician there. “However, we still cover [the need for] medicine, oxygen and consumable medical materials [for these patients],” he said.

Agus admitted that the deployment of security forces was not a policy from the Paniai Regional Hospital management, but rather an instruction from the Ministry of Health. He hopes that all parties can work together well so that services return to normal at Paniai Hospital.

Director of the Deiyai Pratama General Hospital, Selvianus Ukago, said that they were continuing to coordinate with the Paniai Regional Hospital in treating the six entrusted patients. Paniai Regional Hospital has also met all of the patient’s medical needs.

“Pediatricians from both hospitals have coordinated with each other [regarding patient care]. “Paniai Regional Hospital has also met the patient’s medical needs,” said Ukago.

Head of the Enarotali Community Health Center, Rosalina Yogi, said that a number of patients entrusted from Paniai Regional Hospital had also arrived at the community health center. The patients were about to undergo labor.

“Mothers who [wanted to] give birth at the Paniai Regional Hospital have been transferred to the Enarotali Community Health Center. “That’s because we have officers, tools and complete facilities [for delivery services],” said Yogi.

Move location

Acting Regent of Paniai Denci Meri Nawipa said they would immediately move the presence of security officers from Paniai Regional Hospital. The transfer plan will be put together on Monday.

“Tomorrow, the security forces will move them to the regent’s residence, or near the [Enarotali] terminal. “That’s so that services at Paniai Regional Hospital continue to run,” said Nawipa when called by Jubi.

According to him, there are several versions regarding the reasons for placing a number of security officers at the Paniai Regional Hospital. One version states that the placement was triggered by rumors about the Paniai Regional Hospital fire, so health officials wanted security at the Regional Hospital.

“Last night [Saturday], security forces entered [occupying] the Paniai Regional Hospital. That’s because there were medical officers spreading information about the fire at the doctor’s and nurse’s house. “The fire occurred in another resident’s house,” said Nawipa.

Nawipa said he had also reported to Acting Governor Ribka Haluk regarding the deployment of security forces at the Paniai Regional Hospital. To Haluk, Nawipa confirmed that they were solving the problem.

Move location

Acting Regent of Paniai Denci Meri Nawipa said they would immediately move the presence of security officers from Paniai Regional Hospital. The transfer plan will be put together on Monday.

“Tomorrow, the security forces will move them to the regent’s residence, or near the [Enarotali] terminal. “That’s so that services at Paniai Regional Hospital continue to run,” said Nawipa when called by Jubi.

According to him, there are several versions regarding the reasons for placing a number of security officers at the Paniai Regional Hospital. One version states that the placement was triggered by rumors about the Paniai Regional Hospital fire, so health officials wanted security at the Regional Hospital.

“Last night [Saturday], security forces entered [occupying] the Paniai Regional Hospital. That’s because there were medical officers spreading information about the fire at the doctor’s and nurse’s house. “The fire occurred in another resident’s house,” said Nawipa.

Nawipa said he had also reported to Acting Governor Ribka Haluk regarding the deployment of security forces at the Paniai Regional Hospital. To Haluk, Nawipa confirmed that they were solving the problem.

Broken key

Head of the Information Center for the Cenderawasih Regional Military Command, Lieutenant Colonel Candra Kurniawan, said that the deployment of troops to the Paniai Regional Hospital was at the request of local medical officers. They felt their safety was threatened by the actions of the Free Papua Organization (OPM).

“The information circulating on social media regarding the expulsion of patients and the closure of the emergency room at Paniai Regional Hospital is a hoax. “At that time, TNI officers were actually securing the Paniai Regional Hospital because there were complaints from the public that the OPM mob was going to burn down the hospital,” said Candra in a written statement.

A similar denial was conveyed by the Head of Paniai Police, Adjunct Police Commissioner Abdus Syukur Felani. He asked the public not to easily believe information whose source is unclear.

“The closure of the emergency room was an initiative of Paniai Regional Hospital officers because the door lock was broken. “The picket officer had not arrived on Sunday morning so he closed the emergency room door to prevent theft in that room,” said Abdus.

OPM denied rumors about plans to burn Paniai Regional Hospital. They actually accused the TNI and Polri of disrupting community services at the RSUD.

“From the [widely circulated] video, we can see that the TNI/Polri ordered medical officers to close the emergency room door at Paniai Regional Hospital. “So, they have set up a scenario [planning to close the emergency room],” said West Papua Army Commander Damianus Magai Yogi. (*)