2) Indigenous community faces criminalization and land seizures as Merauke Food Estate Project advances
3) Police officers intimidate indigenous community in Sayosa Timur, Sorong
4) Constitutional court rejects formal review of controversial TNI Law despite strong dissent
Update: Komnas HAM investigates Jubi Molotov Attack as case remains unresolved after 1 year
6) Shooting of a bystander during protest against the transfer of political prisoners in Sorong
7) TPNPB News.✓ 18/October/2025
8) Fourteen armed rebels killed in Papua linked to deadly attacks: TNI
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1) Arbitrary arrests and restriction of peaceful assembly in Jayapura
On 23 September 2025, police officers from the Jayapura Police arbitrarily detained thirteen members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in the Sentani area while they were distributing leaflets to announce an upcoming peaceful demonstration marking International Farmers’ Day (24 September 2025). According to local reports, at 10:08 am, police officers stopped the activists at the old Sentani Market (Pasar Lama) and detained them after 20 minutes of tense negotiations. The police seized the leaflets and transported the KNPB activists to the local police station for questioning. They were allowed to leave later that day.
In the afternoon, around 3:30 pm, KNPB members in Abepura and Kamkey, Jayapura City, continued distributing the same leaflets at strategic public points. The police again intervened, seizing the leaflets and detaining several individuals in police vehicles. In response, other KNPB members and residents marched to the Abepura Police Station to protest the arbitrary detention and demand an explanation.
Human rights analysis
This incident demonstrates a continuing pattern of repression of peaceful political expression in West Papua. The arrests of non-violent activists for merely distributing informational materials represent a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, as guaranteed under Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State Party. The use of police force to silence non-violent activists highlights the shrinking democratic space in West Papua and perpetuates an atmosphere of fear among civil society organisations. The events underscore the urgent need for systemic reform of policing practices in West Papua to prevent and reduce human rights violations.
Detailed Case Data
Location: CGJ4+W2W, Jln.mahkal;),;Pasar Lama, Hinekombe, Kec. Sentani, Kabupaten Jayapura, Papua 99352, Indonesia (-2.567648, 140.5050644) pasar Lama Sentani (Old Sentani Market)
Region: Indonesia, Papua, Jayapura Regency, Sentani
Total number of victims: 13
Location: CGJ4+W2W, Jln.mahkal;),;Pasar Lama, Hinekombe, Kec. Sentani, Kabupaten Jayapura, Papua 99352, Indonesia (-2.567648, 140.5050644) pasar Lama Sentani (Old Sentani Market)
Region: Indonesia, Papua, Jayapura Regency, Sentani
Total number of victims: 13
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 13 | male | unknown | Activist, Indigenous Peoples |
Perpetrator: , POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polres and Polresta Jayapura
Issues: indigenous peoples---------------------------------------------------
2) Indigenous community faces criminalization and land seizures as Merauke Food Estate Project advances
The Indonesian government’s ambitious National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke has entered a critical phase marked by escalating conflict between indigenous landowners and corporations backed by state authority, with customary land seizures now accompanied by police criminalization of community members resisting plantation development on their ancestral territories. On 29 September 2025, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan announced plans to convert 481,000 hectares of Papuan forest in Wanam, Merauke Regency, for rice, oil palm, sugarcane, and cassava production, alongside renewable energy facilities, including bioethanol and biodiesel processing industries. The government claims the forest area has already been “released” from protected status, with Minister of Agrarian Affairs, Nusron Wahid, stating the land “does not belong to the community because it was previously state forest,” allocating 263,000 hectares for rice fields in Wanam, 41,000 hectares in Merauke City, 146,000 hectares for oil palm, and 1,140 hectares for ports and settlements. This massive land conversion contradicts the lived reality of indigenous Yei communities like the Kwipalo clan, whose ancestral territories are being forcibly seized by PT Murni Nusantara Mandiri (MNM). The company is part of the PT Global Papua Abadi consortium holding a 52,700-hectare concession for sugar cane plantation development.
The conflict reached a new level on 15 September 2025, when Mr Vincen Kwipalo and his relatives physically stopped PT MNM employees operating excavators and bulldozers clearing their customary forest to build road access through Kwipalo clan territory in Jagebob District. Following this confrontation, PT MNM used one of its employees to file a police report against Mr Kwipalo at the Merauke Resort Police Station. Following the police report, Mr Kwipalo was summoned for clarification on 2 October 2025. On 17 September 2025, Mr Kwipalo and three relatives erected traditional barriers named “Sasi“ using tree trunks across the cleared land, painting them orange and posting warning signs reading “No entry to the Kwipalo customary area,” to protect the 2,308 hectares of ancestral land threatened by corporate encroachment. As of August 2025, PT MNM had already cleared 4,912 hectares of the concession area, with periodic monitoring by Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation documenting ongoing deforestation.
The Kwipalo clan’s resistance reflects systematic violations of indigenous land rights under Indonesian law, particularly Article 43(3) of Law No. 2/2021, requiring that provision of customary and individual land “for any purpose” must be “carried out through deliberation with the customary law community and residents concerned to reach an agreement on the transfer of required land and compensation.”
The Kwipalo Clan has manifested its rejection through multiple channels: planting red crosses on customary territory as traditional symbols of prohibition, openly declaring rejection through the national media, staging demonstrations in both Merauke and Jakarta, and filing an ongoing lawsuit with Indonesia’s Constitutional Court challenging the project’s legality. His position is reinforced by Article 21 of Merauke Regency Regulation No. 5/2013. The article obligates the South Papua Governor and Merauke Regent to immediately order PT. MNM to stop the criminal act of seizing and embezzling the customary land of the Kwipalo clan and protect Mr. Vinsen Kwipalo from the threat of criminalisation. State institutions, including the police, have become enforcement mechanisms for corporate land acquisition. Ín addition, the military has established the 817th Territorial Development Infantry Battalion within PT MNM’s concession area on Kwipalo customary land in July 2025, without clan permission or consent. The developments support growing concerns of deliberate militarization for the purpose of securing corporate business interests.
The Merauke PSN represents a broader pattern documented across Indonesia, where National Strategic Projects systematically dispossess indigenous communities under the legal framework established by the Job Creation Law. Civil society organizations argue that the law provides “facilitation and acceleration” mechanisms that bypass normal consultation and compensation requirements. The case parallels the displacement of 75 families from Soa Village in Tanah Miring District by PT Global Papua Abadi for road and bridge construction, and other conflicts at other PSN sites, including Rempang Island (Riau Islands), Indonesian Green Industrial Zone (North Kalimantan), and the National Capital (East Kalimantan), where communities face forced evictions for development projects. Greenpeace Indonesia Forest Campaigner, Mrs Sekar Banjaran Aji, notedthat “PSN Merauke has deprived indigenous peoples of their rights, destroyed natural forests, and threatened the biodiversity of the landscape,” while emphasizing that “the involvement of the army and police in the project has also caused terror among the community and indigenous Papuans.”
Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission has documented violations in PSN Merauke activities. Yet the government continues advancing the project as part of President Prabowo Subianto’s vision referenced at the UN General Assembly, positioning Indonesia as a “candidate for the world’s food barn.” The Papua Law Enforcement and Human Rights Coalition has called on the President to “immediately revoke the National Strategic Project policy that legalizes PT. MNM’s seizure and misappropriation of the customary land of the Kwipalo clan. The criminalization of Mr Vincen Kwipalo represents an “early example” of tactics that will be deployed against indigenous land rights holders resisting investment projects throughout the South Papua Province and in other PSN sites across Indonesia.
Mr Vinsen Kwipalo stops PT MNM excavators from destroying the Kwipalo clan’s customary forest, 17 September 2025
Mr Vinsen Kwipalo and supporters in front of the Merauke District Police Station, 2 October 2025
Detailed Case Data
Location: Jagebob, Merauke Regency, South Papua, Indonesia (-7.9103659, 140.7624493)Kwipalo customary land in Jagebob District
Region: Indonesia, South Papua, Merauke, Jagebob
Total number of victims: dozens
Location: Jagebob, Merauke Regency, South Papua, Indonesia (-7.9103659, 140.7624493)Kwipalo customary land in Jagebob District
Region: Indonesia, South Papua, Merauke, Jagebob
Total number of victims: dozens
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Vincent Kipalo | male | elderly | Human Rights Defender (HRD), Indigenous Peoples | |
| 2. | dozens | mixed | unknown | Indigenous Peoples |
Perpetrator: Private Company, Government
Issues: business, human rights and FPIC, human rights defenders, indigenous peoples
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3) Police officers intimidate indigenous community in Sayosa Timur, Sorong
On 25 July 2025, members of the Indonesian National Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) reportedly intimidated indigenous residents in Sailala Village, Sayosa Timur District, Sorong Regency, through social media. The threats reportedly followed a local protest against the presence of armed security forces guarding the activities of palm oil company PT Mancaraya Agro Mandiri (MAM). The victim, identified as DS, a Sailala villager, received threatening WhatsApp messages from a Brimob officer named Gerson, who serves as a local post commander. The Papuan Legal Aid Institute filed an official complaint about the acts of intimidation to the Southwest Papua Regional Police (see photo, source: Jubi)
Tension in the area began in late June 2025 when residents of Sailala Village expressed growing unease over daily armed patrols by Brimob officers stationed to secure PT MAM’s operations. Residents reported frequent gunfire and aggressive checks that made them feel unsafe. On 27 June 2025, villagers erected a blockade on the Sorong–Maudus road in response to these conditions. Two hours later, five Brimob members arrived in a vehicle and dismantled the barricade by force, kicking aside the wooden structures without prior coordination with the residents. An argument ensued between the officers and villagers, during which one officer insulted the villagers, addressing them as “provocateurs.”
After the confrontation, the villagers, following customary practice, rebuilt the blockade. On 28 June 2025, a mediation meeting was held in Sailala between community representatives, PT MAM, the Sorong Regency government, the local parliament (DPRK), the West Papua People’s Assembly (MRP-PBD), and security personnel. However, the Brimob officers involved in dismantling the blockade did not attend the meeting. Later that evening, at 9:57 pm, officer Gerson posted a WhatsApp status with a threatening caption reading: “Go ahead with your scenario as you wish… but remember, all humans eventually return to the earth. Do not forget your origins and your final destination.” The message was accompanied by imagery identifying DS. The community understood this message as an act of intimidation.
Human rights analysis
The actions of the Brimob officers constitute acts of intimidation and a violation of the right to security as enshrined in Article 28G(1) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, which guarantees every person the right to feel secure and to be protected from threats of fear. Furthermore, under Law No. 39/1999 on Human Rights, Article 30 explicitly protects individuals from arbitrary intimidation or harassment by state actors. The use of social media to threaten civilians additionally fulfils the elements of a criminal act under Article 29 of the Law on Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE Law), which prohibits sending electronic communications containing threats of violence or intimidation, punishable under Article 45B with up to four years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to IDR 750 million (about € 38,500).
The incident reflects a pattern of excessive militarisation and intimidation in the immediate vicinity of indigenous Papuan communities, particularly in areas affected by extractive corporate operations. Instead of providing protection, security forces have acted in ways that instil fear and disrupt community life, violating Indonesia’s human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a party. In order to restore public trust, law enforcement institutions must not shield officers who commit human rights violations. The failure to act decisively will perpetuate impunity and deepen the sense of insecurity among indigenous communities defending their land rights against corporate interests.
Detailed Case Data
Location: Sailala, Sayosa, Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua, Indonesia (-0.8885098, 131.8600768) Sailala Village
Region: Indonesia, Southwest Papua, Sorong, Sayosa
Total number of victims: dozens
Location: Sailala, Sayosa, Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua, Indonesia (-0.8885098, 131.8600768) Sailala Village
Region: Indonesia, Southwest Papua, Sorong, Sayosa
Total number of victims: dozens
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | dozens | mixed | unknown | Indigenous Peoples |
Perpetrator: , Mobile Brigades (BRIMOB)
Perpetrator details: Indonesian National Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob)
Issues: business, human rights and FPIC, indigenous peoples————————————————————
4) Constitutional court rejects formal review of controversial TNI Law despite strong dissent
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court rejected formal review petitions challenging Law No. 3/2025 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), ruling that the legislative process did not violate the 1945 Constitution despite procedural controversies and widespread criticism from civil society organizations (CSOs), academics, and students. The decision allows the amended TNI Law to remain legally binding, but four of nine judges issued dissenting opinions. They argued that the Court should have granted petitions due to formal defects in the lawmaking process, including inadequate public participation and violations of transparency requirements. The majority of judges ruled that the TNI Bill was properly registered in the National Legislation Programme as a carry-over from previous legislative sessions, discussions were transparent and accountable, with civil society involvement. They represented the view that there were no restrictions on public access to documents.
The CSOs that filed petitions expressed strong disappointment with the ruling, warning of serious implications for Indonesian democracy and civilian oversight of the military. Muhammad Isnur from the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), representing the Advocacy Team for Security Sector Reform, argued the Constitutional Court “failed to be a council that clearly and transparently saw the issues surrounding the revision of the TNI Law.”
Ten formal review petitions were filed by CSOs, academics, and university students from institutions including University of Indonesia, Gadjah Mada University, Padjadjaran University, and others, all arguing that the TNI Law revision violated constitutional principles through five main issues: misalignment with post-1998 TNI reform agenda, improper carry-over designation, illegal inclusion in the 2025 Priority National Legislation Programme without prior registration, deliberate exclusion of public participation creating accountability failures, and intentional withholding of revision documents preventing public access and monitoring.
The petitioners documented that meetings formulating the revision were held secretly in closed rooms, criticism from civil society and academics was ignored, and even after enactment on 26 March 2025, documents remained unpublished on official DPR and government channels. Between March and May 2025, parties involved in filing formal reviews experienced systematic intimidation including visits by unknown individuals to the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) office, digital terror traced to Kodam Jaya intelligence units, military tactical vehicles stopping outside CSO offices to record activities, military summons of Student Executive Board members at Jenderal Soedirman University demanding apologies for protesting the law, TNI visits to discussion events at Walisongo State Islamic University, military patrols at University of Indonesia campus after protests, and intimidation of students’ families by individuals claiming affiliation with Military Resort Commands requesting personal documents.
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5) Update: Komnas HAM investigates Jubi Molotov Attack as case remains unresolved after 1 year
Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) visited the Jubi Editorial Office on 15 August 2025 to inquire about developments in the ongoing investigation into a Molotov cocktail attack on the independent news agency. The incident occurred on 16 October 2024, with the perpetrators still unidentified despite clear video evidence (see photo on top, source: Jubi). The Komnas HAM delegation met with Jubi representatives and lawyers to discuss the lack of progress in revealing those responsible. Saurlin Siagian from Komnas HAM’s monitoring and education division stated that the commission had collected facts from multiple sources, including the Papua Regional Police and the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command. Significantly, Mr Siagian stated that if the case cannot be resolved at the Papua regional level, Komnas HAM will advocate the matter to policymakers in Jakarta.
Prior to the Komnas HAM visit, the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) intervened on 1 July 2025, with Deputy Chair of Committee I Carel Simon Petrus Suebu visiting the Jubi office. Mr Suebu committed to advocating for the case at the national level, stating his committee would summon the TNI Commander and National Police Chief to conduct hearings and working meetings to discuss the attack. Jubi lawyers expressed frustration that closed-circuit television footage showing the perpetrators has not led to arrests.
Editor-in-Chief Jean Bisay outlined extensive efforts Jubi has undertaken since the attack, including legal action through formal complaints, political advocacy through meetings with Papua Parliament and national-level DPR members, and engagement with civil society solidarity groups, yet accountability remains elusive. Regarding the DPD RI intervention, Bisay expressed hope that Mr Suebu’s visit would result in concrete action, given his committee’s jurisdiction over National Military and Police matters.
The prolonged failure to resolve the Jubi Molotov attack case despite incriminating evidence has significant implications for press freedom and journalist safety in West Papua, where independent media face persistent intimidation and violence. Authorities have failed to make arrests or publicly identify suspects after twelve months. This raises serious questions about the political will to protect journalists and prosecute those who attack media institutions.
The case now sits at a critical juncture with national-level institutions intervening and threatening to escalate to central government policymakers if regional authorities continue failing to act. The outcome will signal whether Indonesia’s commitments to press freedom and rule of law extend meaningfully to West Papua’s independent media, or whether attacks on journalists will continue with impunity.
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6) Shooting of a bystander during protest against the transfer of political prisoners in Sorong
On 27 August 2025, 22-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Maikel Welerubun was shot by security forces during a demonstration in Sorong City, Southwest Papua Province, protesting the transfer of four Papuan political prisoners from Sorong to Makassar. The incident occurred on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, where police and military forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrators. Mr Welerubun happened to be near the rally but was not part of the protest. He was reportedly hit by a live round that penetrated his left arm, intestines, spleen, and lungs, causing severe internal injuries. Following the shooting, he underwent major surgery at Sele Be Solu Regional General Hospital (RSUD Sorong). On 7 September 2025, he was transferred to another hospital in Manado, North Sulawesi Province, for further treatment.
The protest began peacefully in front of the Sorong City Police Headquarters, with demonstrators opposing the transfer of four political prisoners arrested in April 2025 on charges of treason after calling for peace talks in Sorong. The protest escalated after police used force, including tear gas and alleged live ammunition, to disperse the crowd. Chaos ensued, with reports of burning tyres, property damage, and violent clashes. During the unrest, Mr. Welerubun was passing by the Sorong Manoi District Office to check the conditions before going to work. He was shot and immediately evacuated to the Malawei Health Centre and then referred to RSUD Sele Be Solu. His family reported that the bullet caused extensive organ damage, requiring the removal of his spleen and part of his intestines (see phortos below, source: independent HRDs).
The Papuan Human Rights Advocates Coalition and the West Papua People’s Assembly (MRP) have since urged the West Papua Regional Police (Polda Papua Barat) and Sorong City Police (Polresta Sorong) to conduct a transparent investigation. Mr Welerubun’s relatives have filed a police report and demanded a ballistic examination to determine the type and source of the bullet. Despite these demands, police officials have not provided further information about the projectile, while TNI Commander Brig. Gen. Totok Sutriono claimed that “no live ammunition was used.”
Human rights & legal analysis
The shooting of Mr Maikel Welerubun raises grave concerns regarding excessive use of force, failure to distinguish between bystanders and protestors, and violations of the right to life and security of person, as guaranteed under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State Party. The use of potentially lethal force against unarmed civilians and peaceful demonstrators contravenes the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which require that firearms be used only as a last resort to protect life.
Moreover, the transfer of the four political prisoners to Makassar, far from their families, legal counsel, and community, breaches Article 85 of Indonesia’s Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which stipulates that trials should be held in the jurisdiction where the alleged crime occurred. This transfer and the ensuing violence highlight broader structural issues of impunity and suppression of peaceful political expression in West Papua.
The incident exemplifies the persistent climate of militarisation and impunity in West Papua, where peaceful dissent is often met with disproportionate violence. Without independent oversight and justice for victims like Maikel Welerubun, confidence in law enforcement and the rule of law in the region will continue to erode.
A bullet (ledt) and bullet shells (right) that protesters reportedly found at the protest site in Sorong
Mr Welerubun, shortly after being shot on 27 August 2025, and after receiving medical first aid
Detailed Case Data
Location: Sorong, Sorong City, West Papua, Indonesia (-0.8761629, 131.255828) Sorong Manoi District Office
Region: Indonesia, Southwest Papua, Sorong City, Sorong Kota
Total number of victims: 1
Location: Sorong, Sorong City, West Papua, Indonesia (-0.8761629, 131.255828) Sorong Manoi District Office
Region: Indonesia, Southwest Papua, Sorong City, Sorong Kota
Total number of victims: 1
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Maikel Welerubun | male | 0 | Day Labourer | ill-treatment, right to life |
Perpetrator: Indonesian Security Forces
Issues: security force violence
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Posted on FB
7) TPNPB News.✓ 18/October/2025
IV Press Release of TPNPB KOMNAS Headquarters Management On Saturday, October 18, 2025
Please Follow This Report Brought.!
The Management of KOMNAS TPNPB Central Headquarters officially responded to the statement of KOMNas HAM RI numbered: 62 / HM.00 / X/2025 issued on October 18, 2025 from the Komnas HAM RI Office in Jakarta in connection with the death of dozens of civilians in Kampung Soanggama, Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya Regency on October 15, 2025 when the combat operation occurred by Indonesian military officers through Koops Habema brought under the control of Pangkogapwilhan III.
First, KOMNAS HAM RI only one party received information from Koops Habema regarding the killing of dozens of civilians in Soanggama Village.
Secondly, during the siege operation carried out by the Indonesian military in Kampung Soanggama on October 15, 2025, there was no arms contact between TPNPB Kodap VIII Intan Jaya and the Indonesian Security Forces.
Three, a dozen civilians shot dead by Indonesian military, were initially under siege and slaughtered blindly with weapons without complying with humanitarian principles in the guarantee of international humanitarian law.
The fourth, the massacre against dozens of civilians in Intan Jaya by the Indonesian Security Forces and removal of traces of victims' bodies is a form of grave violations of HAM as well as crimes against humanity in the war.
Five, three members of TPNPB who were arrested alive without armed resistance as well as evidence in the form of firearm that could threaten Indonesian military officers, then they were arrested, tortured and shot dead is violation of international humanitarian law because of course the three members of the TPNPB should be arrested and made as ordinary prisoners because No shooting in Soanggama Village.
In this regard, we urge all parties and KOMNAS HAM RI to immediately open access to the International Red Cross and humanitarian institutions and global communities to address the humanitarian crisis in Papua Land. Due to the armed conflict in Papua Land, hundreds of thousands of citizens are fleeing internally without humanitarian aid for children, mothers, toddlers, adults to the elderly and even pregnant mothers in Intan Jaya, Maybrat, Yahukimo, Nduga, Lanny Jaya, Star Mountain, Papua Peak and various other conflict areas in Papua Land.
Thus the Press Release of the IV Management of KOMNAS Central Headquarters of TPNPB Per Saturday, October 18, 2025, and forwarded to all parties by Sebby Sambom, Jubir TPNPB OPM.
TPNPB-OPM National Command Central Command Headquarters
General Goliath Tabuni
TPNPB-OPM High Commander
Lieutenant General Melchizedek Awom
Deputy Commander of TPNPB-OPM
Major General Terianus Satto
Chief of General Staff of TPNPB-OPM
Major General Lekagak Telenggen
General Operations Commander of TPNPB-OPM
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8) Fourteen armed rebels killed in Papua linked to deadly attacks: TNI
October 17, 2025 18:14 GMT+700
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Indonesian Military (TNI) officials said Friday that 14 armed separatists killed in a firefight Tuesday in Papua’s Intan Jaya district were connected to multiple deadly attacks on civilians and security forces.
Maj. Gen. Lucky Avianto, commander of the Joint Task Force Habema, said the rebels died during a clash in Soanggama village, Hitadipa subdistrict.
The village served as a base for the West Papua National Liberation Army unit Kodap VIII/Soanggama, led by Undius Kogoya.
“The group used Soanggama as a base to plan repeated attacks against civilians and security personnel,” Avianto said.
Authorities recovered a homemade firearm, four air rifles, ammunition, and other evidence at the site.
Among the dead were Agus Kogoya, Kodap VIII’s operations chief, and gunmen Ipe Kogoya and Zakaria Kogoya. Two bodies remain unidentified.
Military intelligence linked the separatists to violent incidents this year, including attacks in Soanggama on March 28; Zonogo on April 14; Titigi on April 30 and May 1; Sugapa on May 27; Mamba Bawah on August 8; and Gamagai Ugimba on October 12.
They were also tied to fatal shootings of civilians Michael Wattimena on March 18; Joni Hendra on July 25; and Anselmus Arfin, a company employee, on October 8.
Papuan separatists have intensified attacks across Indonesia’s easternmost provinces in recent years, targeting civilians, workers, and security forces in a campaign of violence aimed at spreading fear and undermining state authority.
Armed groups linked to the Free Papua Movement (OPM) have frequently used hit-and-run tactics against Indonesian troops and staged assaults on civilians in districts such as Intan Jaya, Nduga, Yahukimo, and Puncak.
Targets have included construction workers, motorcycle taxi (ojek) drivers, teachers, students, food vendors, and civilian aircraft crews.
Notable incidents include December 2, 2018: Rebels killed 31 workers from PT Istaka Karya building the Trans Papua highway in Kali Yigi and Kali Aurak, Yigi Subdistrict, Nduga District.
March 2, 2022: Eight technicians from Palaparing Timur Telematika (PTT) were shot dead in Beoga Subdistrict, Puncak District, while repairing a Telkomsel telecom tower.
February 7, 2023: New Zealand pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens was taken hostage by an armed group led by Egianus Kogoya after landing a Susi Air flight in Nduga District. His aircraft was then set on fire.
October 16, 2023: Separatists attacked gold miners in Yahukimo District, Highland Papua Province, killing seven.
November 25, 2023: Four Indonesian soldiers died in a gunfight with rebels in Paro Subdistrict, Nduga District.
January 19, 2024: Security forces clashed with an armed group in Intan Jaya District, Central Papua. Brimob paramilitary police officer Alfando Steve Karamoy was injured by gunfire.
April 10, 2024: Second Lieutenant Oktovianus Sogalrey, commander of the 1703-04 Aradide Subdistrict Military Command, was shot and killed in Paniai District, Central Papua.
April 2025: Sixteen illegal gold miners were shot dead by an armed group in Yahukimo District, Highland Papua.
October 6, 2025: TPNPB commander Mayu Waliya was killed in a clash with Joint Task Force Habema in Lanny Jaya District.
Related news: Papuan rebel leader killed in Highland Papua
Related news: Police, army deployed at Papua hospital after rebel threat: official
Maj. Gen. Lucky Avianto, commander of the Joint Task Force Habema, said the rebels died during a clash in Soanggama village, Hitadipa subdistrict.
The village served as a base for the West Papua National Liberation Army unit Kodap VIII/Soanggama, led by Undius Kogoya.
“The group used Soanggama as a base to plan repeated attacks against civilians and security personnel,” Avianto said.
Authorities recovered a homemade firearm, four air rifles, ammunition, and other evidence at the site.
Among the dead were Agus Kogoya, Kodap VIII’s operations chief, and gunmen Ipe Kogoya and Zakaria Kogoya. Two bodies remain unidentified.
Military intelligence linked the separatists to violent incidents this year, including attacks in Soanggama on March 28; Zonogo on April 14; Titigi on April 30 and May 1; Sugapa on May 27; Mamba Bawah on August 8; and Gamagai Ugimba on October 12.
They were also tied to fatal shootings of civilians Michael Wattimena on March 18; Joni Hendra on July 25; and Anselmus Arfin, a company employee, on October 8.
Papuan separatists have intensified attacks across Indonesia’s easternmost provinces in recent years, targeting civilians, workers, and security forces in a campaign of violence aimed at spreading fear and undermining state authority.
Armed groups linked to the Free Papua Movement (OPM) have frequently used hit-and-run tactics against Indonesian troops and staged assaults on civilians in districts such as Intan Jaya, Nduga, Yahukimo, and Puncak.
Targets have included construction workers, motorcycle taxi (ojek) drivers, teachers, students, food vendors, and civilian aircraft crews.
Notable incidents include December 2, 2018: Rebels killed 31 workers from PT Istaka Karya building the Trans Papua highway in Kali Yigi and Kali Aurak, Yigi Subdistrict, Nduga District.
March 2, 2022: Eight technicians from Palaparing Timur Telematika (PTT) were shot dead in Beoga Subdistrict, Puncak District, while repairing a Telkomsel telecom tower.
February 7, 2023: New Zealand pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens was taken hostage by an armed group led by Egianus Kogoya after landing a Susi Air flight in Nduga District. His aircraft was then set on fire.
October 16, 2023: Separatists attacked gold miners in Yahukimo District, Highland Papua Province, killing seven.
November 25, 2023: Four Indonesian soldiers died in a gunfight with rebels in Paro Subdistrict, Nduga District.
January 19, 2024: Security forces clashed with an armed group in Intan Jaya District, Central Papua. Brimob paramilitary police officer Alfando Steve Karamoy was injured by gunfire.
April 10, 2024: Second Lieutenant Oktovianus Sogalrey, commander of the 1703-04 Aradide Subdistrict Military Command, was shot and killed in Paniai District, Central Papua.
April 2025: Sixteen illegal gold miners were shot dead by an armed group in Yahukimo District, Highland Papua.
October 6, 2025: TPNPB commander Mayu Waliya was killed in a clash with Joint Task Force Habema in Lanny Jaya District.
Related news: Papuan rebel leader killed in Highland Papua
Related news: Police, army deployed at Papua hospital after rebel threat: official
Translator: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
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