Indonesia's House of Representatives has urged the government to take concrete actions to stem the burgeoning support for the separatist movement in Papua.
The Jakarta Post reports that the House Commission overseeing defence has also pushed the government and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to endorse any efforts by the Indonesian Military, or TNI, to deal with Papuan separatists.
The deputy chairman of the first Commission says the TNI has a legal mandate to conduct military operations against separatists.
Tubagus Hasanuddin says the House wouldn't hesitate to give support for any TNI offensive against the separatist movement in Papua in order to keep the region integrated with Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the government denies that tension is escalating in Papua.
The Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi claims the government can maintain peace in Papua while conducting a constructive dialogue with the Papuan community.
