TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - There is currently 122,000 internally displaced persons in Papua, according to Indonesia's Ministry of Human Rights.
Deputy Minister of Human Rights Mugiyanto Sipin mentioned that his side has yet to specify the spread of refugee points in Papua, but will seek comprehensive data on Papua's displaced population in upcoming meeting with relevant ministries/agencies
"Since the issue of refugees has been largely handled by our colleagues from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, to ensure a more comprehensive approach, we will hold a coordination meeting," said Mugiyanto at the Ministry of Human Rights office in Jakarta on July 7, 2026.
Internal displacement occurs when people lose sense of security in their hometown, Mugiyanto said. The government, he went on, will work to ensure the essential needs of the internally displaced are fulfilled.
The conflict in Papua has worsened over the last month after three civilians were killed amidst hostilities between Indonesian authorities and armed groups such as the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM). Meanwhile, the Indonesian government has deployed military and police troops in the region.
On July 2, 2026, at least two armed violence incidents claimed civilian casualties. A pregnant woman named Melkiana Duwitau, 31, became a victim in a shootout between security forces and TPNPB-OPM in Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua.
On the same day, American pilot Nicholas F. Goselin was shot and killed in an aircraft which was later set on fire by TPNPB-OPM in the Sobaham District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands.
The Human Rights Monitor recorded that the number of internally displaced people in Papua from 2018 to 2026 reached around 107,039 people.
Jayapura, Jubi – The hearing of the lawsuit against the Decree, or SK, of the Regent of Merauke, South Papua Province, was held again at the State Administrative Court, or PTUN, in Jayapura, Papua, on Tuesday (7/7/2026).
The plaintiffs presented three fact witnesses during the hearing, which was on the agenda of evidence presentation, led by Presiding Judge Merna Cinthia, along with panel judges Irfan Amos Sampe and Adjadam Riyange Zulfachmi.
The case is registered at the Jayapura PTUN under number 9/G/LH/2026/PTUN Jayapura, filed since March 5, 2026.
The lawsuit was filed by five representatives of the Malind indigenous community. The indigenous community is suing Merauke Regent’s Decree Number 100.3.3.2/1105/Year 2025.
The decree concerns the environmental feasibility for a planned 135-kilometer access road construction project, part of the food security project of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia.
The legal counsel for the Malind indigenous community, Tigor Hutapea, said that two of the witnesses presented by their side were members of the indigenous community, and one other was from Greenpeace.
During the hearing, all three witnesses presented by the plaintiffs stated that the road construction project had been underway since August 2024.
However, according to Tigor, the permit documents were issued on September 11, 2025. Therefore, from August 2024 to September 2025, the 135-km road construction project is considered to have been carried out without a permit.
“This means the project is illegal because it did not have a permit. This is the document we are challenging,” said Tigor Hutapea after the hearing.
Tigor Hutapea said the plaintiffs have repeatedly requested that the project be halted, because it was carried out without a permit until September 2025, and the permit itself is considered legally flawed.
“Just now, the judges heard and considered this matter. The witnesses clearly stated that they were never consulted through any socialization process. There was no notification when the project was built, and the indigenous community was displaced,” he said.
Another legal counsel for the plaintiffs, Emmanuel Gobai, said that one of the plaintiffs asked the panel of judges to issue a warning letter to the company, so that no demolition would take place until a court ruling is issued.
He said the judges also stated that they would hold a deliberation and decide on the indigenous community’s request.
According to Gobay, the testimony of the fact witnesses in the hearing stated that the Regent’s Decree was issued without involving the indigenous community that owns the customary land, who are the affected victims. In addition, those involved in the preparation of the Environmental Impact Analysis (AMDAL) document were several clans that were actually not affected.
“This can be called false or fabricated information. It was taken by the government and then inserted into the AMDAL document. This happens repeatedly and the government always takes advantage of it, so we want the judges to be more professional and make the right decision,” said Emanuel Gobay.
He said that during the hearing, his side had felt frustrated because the judges questioned the expertise, testimony, and direct observations of one of the witnesses.
Therefore, it is hoped that the Judicial Commission will oversee the proceedings professionally, since his side, together with the indigenous community, is up against the company and the government.
Meanwhile, the legal counsel for the defendant, Victor Kaisiepo, said that in principle, his side accepts and takes note of the testimony presented by the plaintiff’s witnesses.
“There are also several notes that we have compiled, and we will convey those notes to our leadership. In the next hearing, we will also present our own witnesses,” said Victor Kaisiepo. (*)
Jayapura, Jubi – A political figures in the Land of Papua, Laurenzus Kadepa, stated that a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), or an Indonesia–United States Joint Investigation Team, needs to be formed to handle the shooting of pilot Nicholas F. Goselin on July 2, 2026.
He said the formation of this team should be considered as a mechanism to ensure that the entire investigation process is carried out independently, professionally, transparently, and accountably to both the national public and the international community.
According to him, the incident that claimed the life of the pilot of an aircraft belonging to Associated Mission Aviation (AMA) at the Balinggama pioneer airport, Sobaham District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands Province, was a serious event.
It carries not only a domestic criminal dimension, but also touches on aspects of international law, the protection of foreign nationals, civil aviation safety, and diplomatic relations between Indonesia and the United States.
However, Kadepa said, the formation of a joint investigation team is not intended to diminish Indonesia’s legal sovereignty. Rather, it would strengthen the credibility of the law enforcement process through international cooperation, which is commonly applied in handling cross-border cases when the victim is a foreign national.
“[Forming the team would] guarantee objectivity amid a variety of claims. This incident has been followed by various statements from parties connected to the conflict in the Land of Papua,” said Laurenzus Kadepa in a written message to Jubi on Tuesday (7/7/2026).
He said that in situations like this, an investigation conducted by only one party has the potential to raise doubts about the independence and objectivity of the results.
According to him, a joint investigation team could carry out scientific verification of all evidence, reconstruct the incident based on forensic evidence, conduct independent ballistic examinations, analyze communications and the chain of command if necessary, and cross-check all witness statements against physical evidence.
“With that, the conclusion of the investigation would not rely solely on the claims of one party, but on evidence that can be scientifically tested,” he said.
In addition, Kadepa continued, the formation of a joint team is also meant to prevent the politicization of the case. This is because incidents occurring in conflict areas often develop into conflicting political narratives.
If the investigation is carried out independently through a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), the space for propaganda, disinformation, and claims unsupported by evidence can be minimized.
“The main purpose of the investigation is not to justify the narrative of any particular party, but to find the actual facts (finding the truth) based on the principle of the rule of law,” he said.
On the other hand, this could provide legal certainty for the victim’s family, who are United States citizens, and who was carrying out civilian aviation duties in the Land of Papua region.
In international legal practice, the victim’s country of origin has a legitimate interest in ensuring that the death of its citizen is investigated thoroughly, professionally, and in accordance with applicable legal standards.
The involvement of United States authorities is considered to give the victim’s family confidence that the entire investigation process is being carried out transparently and accountably.
“Papua has long been a place of service for many foreign workers, including pioneer aviation pilots, health workers, educators, and humanitarian workers. Fully resolving this case will become an important precedent for the protection of all foreign nationals who work to provide services to communities in remote areas.”
Kadepa said that legal certainty is also part of the effort to maintain the international community’s confidence in the safety of carrying out humanitarian missions in Indonesia.
He said that investigative cooperation would allow for the use of technology and expertise from both countries, including ballistic analysis, projectile trajectory reconstruction, examination of the aircraft’s structure, flight navigation analysis, and digital evidence processing.
This collaboration is considered likely to improve the quality of scientific evidence, so that the conclusions of the investigation carry a higher degree of credibility.
Furthermore, as a country that upholds the principle of the rule of law, Indonesia has an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to transparency through international investigative cooperation.
The formation of a Joint Investigation Team is considered capable of showing that the Indonesian government does not avoid independent oversight and is prepared to uncover the facts objectively, free from political intervention.
This step would strengthen the international community’s trust in Indonesia’s law enforcement system while also demonstrating respect for the principle of accountability.
“In various cases involving foreign national victims, cross-border investigative cooperation is a common practice carried out under Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) mechanisms, international police cooperation, as well as various bilateral and multilateral agreements,” he said.
According to Kadepa, the United States also has a legal basis that allows federal authorities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to provide investigative support in certain cases involving its citizens abroad, in accordance with applicable legal authority and through coordination with the country where the incident occurred.
He said the case of the death of the American pilot in Yahukimo is not merely an ordinary criminal matter. Rather, this incident carries implications for the protection of foreign nationals, civil aviation safety, respect for humanitarian law, human rights, and the credibility of Indonesia’s law enforcement.
Therefore, the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) between the Government of Indonesia and the Government of the United States is a step worth considering to ensure that the investigation is carried out independently, based on scientific evidence, and produces a truth that can be accepted by all parties.
“In cases with an international dimension, justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done. This is the principle that should serve as the foundation for uncovering the truth in this case,” said Laurenzus Kadepa. (*)
