Massive Scuffle Between Brimob and Pomal Officers at Sorong Harbor Leaves Five Injured

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SORONG — A scuffle between armed security officers occurred at Sorong Harbor, Southwest Papua Province, Sunday (14/4/2024) morning WIT. The incident involved the National Police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel and Navy Military Police (Pomal) soldiers.

Five people were rushed to hospital due to injuries following the mass fight between security members. From the report received Republika.co.idthe fight occurred on Sunday at around 09.30 WIT.

The incident was triggered by the Sinabung Ship which was docked at Sorong Harbor. When the ship meets the dock, the Pomal unit carries out its duties to secure the port area. At that time, a person claiming to be a member of Brimob asked Pomal soldiers for permission to enter the ship.

“The Brimob member was not wearing official clothes when he wanted to enter the ship,” said the report received Republika.co.id in Jakarta, Sunday.

The Brimob member also asked permission from the Pomal personnel on duty to raise his family earlier than the others. Permission was finally granted.

“After the Brimob member raised his family, he asked for permission to return. However, he was reprimanded by the Pomal member who was on guard. And in the end there was a misunderstanding. And the Brimob member hit the Pomal member,” the report said.

Not accepting being hit, the Pomal soldiers returned the blows from the Brimob personnel. After one on one blows, the Brimob members withdrew. “Then contacted his friends to come to the port,” said the report.

Not long after, a group of Brimob personnel arrived at Sorong Harbor. “There were around 15 Brimob members who came and tried to enter the passenger terminal,” said the report.

After they managed to break into the passenger waiting room, Pomal personnel responded with a fight. “Eventually a fight broke out between Brimob members and members of the Indonesian Navy,” according to the report.

In the video recording obtained Republika.co.id, the fight made residents and passengers waiting for the ship run away in fear. The fight did not only occur in the passenger waiting room, but spread to the inner area of ​​Sorong Harbor.

A number of Brimob members in uniform were involved in a fight by kicking a soldier wearing TNI AL camouflage. According to the police report, this situation prompted Port Police personnel to intervene.

“But members of the Harbor Police could not intervene and chose to resign,” the report continued. The Director of Polair, Danyon Marine, together with Danyon B Brimob, and Danden Pomal Lantamal Sorong together with the Port Police Chief went directly to the scene of the fight to break it up.

However, the fighting did not stop, instead it continued. This time, it was the Indonesian Navy who attacked the uniformed police.

“When the situation was starting to escalate, suddenly there were Samapta members who were beaten by members of the Indonesian Navy. And when there were members of the police who intervened, suddenly other members of the Indonesian Navy immediately started beating the police members who were around the passenger terminal door. “which resulted in many police officers becoming victims and suffering head injuries,” the report said.

Head of Public Relations of the West Papua Regional Police, Commissioner Ongky Isgunawan, confirmed the incident of the fight. However, he said, the police had not been able to provide an official statement regarding the incident.

“Sorry, we can’t convey it yet, because we are still in the process of deepening and coordinating. We’ll let you know when we have official results,” said Ongky when contacted. Republika.co.id, Ahad.

Head of the TNI Information Center (Kapuspen) Major General R Nugraha Gumiliar, his party received a report that the incident occurred due to a misunderstanding. “The cause was just a misunderstanding between Brimob members who were reprimanded by AL members,” said Nugraha Republika.co.id.

From the report he received, the fight started when Brimob members were reprimanded by Pomal soldiers from Marhanlan XIV/Sorong who were providing security at this vital object. However, because they did not accept it, the two parties ended up fighting until they bled.

Five injured…