Jayapura, Jubi – The Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) office located in the Outer Kotaraja area, Abepura District, Jayapura City, Papua, was flooded due to heavy rains that had flushed Jayapura City and its surroundings since Friday, January 7, 2022.
An MRP staff member, Agus Pabika, said that the water came from the Inner Kotaraja housing estate (around the Bhayangkara Hospital and Furia Housing). Water as high as an adult’s knee entered and inundated several rooms.
“Most of the MRP workspaces were submerged in water, especially in the Religious, Women and Customary Working Group rooms, as well as the housing for the MRP leaders behind the office,” Pabika told Jubi in a WhatsApp message on Sunday night.
He said that on Saturday, the secretary of the MRP together with office staff and the cleaning service began to clean up the remnants of mud and flooding in several rooms. The work was assisted by heavy equipment and three fire engines using water cannons to clean the remnants of mud on the office yard.
Until this report was written, MRP chairman Timotius Murib had yet to answer Jubi’s request for confirmation. Jubi received information that he was in the village. However, another MRP staff member, Yustinus, informed that the whole side of the outside of the office was flooded with water that it had to be cleaned for several days.
The cleaning activity had been carried out for two days on Saturday and Sunday but Yustinus predicted it would continue until Monday. Therefore, it is most likely that MRP members and staff will only be able to return to their offices and resume their activities on Tuesday, January 11, 2022.
Reporter: Timoteus Marten
Editor: Jean Bisay
