2) Forced shutdowns of Papua film sparks disquiet in Indonesia
3) Meki Nawipa: Papua Needs Honest People, Not Just Smart Ones
4) China’s chance in Papua to bolster Indonesia’s green credentials
5) Disbandment of Pig Feast (Pesta Babi) Screenings: Freedom of Expression Must Be Protected
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1) 'They're wiping us out': Church leader warns about young West Papuans killed in escalating conflict
6:40 am today
Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific senior journalist
A photo of Indigenous West Papuan civilians in Distrik Tembagapura, Mimika, Central Papua, allegedly injured by use of excessive force by non-organic Indonesian military forces (TNI Satgas Habema). This image, alongside several more graphic ones, was shared on Facebook by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua leader Benny Wenda on 9 May 2026. RNZ Pacific has been unable to independently verify the picture. Photo: Facebook / Benny Wenda
A West Papuan church leader has warned that ongoing killings of young Papuans allegedly by Indonesian security forces have the hallmark of genocide.
Since the start of the year there's been no stop to violent incidents in Indonesian-ruled Papua region - known internationally as West Papua.
Indonesia's government blames recent violence on armed, pro-independence West Papuan fighters.
However, human rights defenders say the violence is escalating violence, and the young, indigenous people of West Papua are in the firing line.
Escalation
Last week a 17-year old Papuan girl was killed as a result of a military operation reportedly targeting civilian mining camps in Tembagapura.
Also last week, several Papuan high school students were shot when tensions flared at a graduation parade through the town of Kobakma in Papua's central highlands. Police had objected to them wearing the Papuan Morning Star Flag a symbol of the Independence Movement.
Last month, Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said it was investigating a shooting incident that left up to twelve Papuan civilians dead as the result of an Indonesian military operation in Kembru district. According to human rights researchers, a 5-year old girl and a 77-year old woman were among the dead.
Komnas HAM's commissioner for monitoring and investigation Saurlin Siagian said it was difficult to ascertain the exact ages of each victim in the Kembru incident, but he told RNZ Pacific that two pregnant women were among those killed.
Earlier in April, five people, including a 12-year old boy, were shot dead in Dogiyai regency in an alleged retaliatory attack by police after a policeman was killed.
The list goes on, stretching back to January - dozens of people reported dead, dozens more people injured and many more people displaced from their villages.
Pattern
The head of the human rights and justice department of the GIDI Evangelical Church of Indonesia in Papua, Pastor Jimi Koirewa, said there was a disturbing pattern to these attacks.
"The children are being killed, the women are being killed. That is a part of genocide, because the women will give birth to babies, the kids, the children, the youth, they are the future of Papua, and killing them is part of a genocide. They're wiping us out. There will be no more people there standing in Papua. The old people will die gradually," Koirewa told RNZ Pacific.
Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Ministry declined to comment on the pastor's claim. It said it could not discuss recent incidents while investigations are underway. However, the Human Rights Minister in Jakarta, Natalius Pigai, has admitted the situation is a serious concern.
After a violent year in 2025, when Komnas HAM which recorded 97 violent incidents and armed conflicts in Papua, the situation has deteriorated further this year.
Pigai noted that the country's independent human rights body has identified 26 cases of violence in Papua from January to April 2026.
"Based on records from both domestic and international sources, there is an escalation. In just under a month, no fewer than 20 people died in 5 incidents in Dogiyai, Yahukimo, Puncak Papua, Timika, and Tembagapura," Pigai said in a statement on Sunday.
Pigai claimed the government was continuing to seek a peaceful solution that can address the root causes of the conflict.
For the past several years Indonesian security forces in Papua have been engaged in conflict with 'armed criminal groups', their label for Papuan pro-independence fighters within the wider OPM Free West Papua Movement.
Lack of justice: 'Shooting the people'
Pastor Koirewa said the Indonesian military forces had been amassing in large numbers in recent months.
"There's so much military deployment coming into Papua and the reason, they said, is they want to get rid of the rebels, OPM, that's what they call rebels. They said that they want to get rid of the OPM so that development can happen, the government can come and build the land," Koirewa said.
"But when they come in, they are not shooting the combatant, the OPM, but they are shooting the people. So I see that the it's escalating."
Koirewa said police rarely investigated the violent incidents thoroughly, leaving Papuan communities mistrustful of the justice system. The GIDI church has raised its concern with the upsurge in violence.
"Our church, we have no influence in Jakarta at all. We already made some communications through the formal way to Jakarta, yeah, through the our parliament, let them know what is happening, but Jakarta is not responding. They don't care.
"They just come in with their programme, and they don't care at all. That's why the church now is looking for aid outside of our country," Koirewa said, adding that the aid they sought is for internally displaced people and Papuan schools.
Displacement
Jakarta has been promoting major agri-business projects in Papua provinces - including oil palm, rice and sugarcane - as well as large scale mining and forestry projects in the interior.
The government argues that increasing development and economic activity raises the standard of living for everyone in Papua.
"Which part of Papua are they developing? Why are the Papuans still the poorest among the whole Indonesian population. They have been for with us about more than 60 years. And why are the Papuans still the Papuans still in poverty?" Koirewa said.
"We see that there has been no output at all. They will only bring more non-Papuans in to take over our land.”
Koirewa said changing demographics due to Indonesian transmigration added to the sense that Papuans were being out numbered in their homeland and facing a bleak future.
"There's no hope," he said.
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https://www.ucanews.com/news/forced-shutdowns-of-papua-film-sparks-disquiet-in-indonesia/113293
2) Forced shutdowns of Papua film sparks disquiet in Indonesia
Despite incidents of ‘serious intimidation,’ requests for community screenings have surged
By UCA News reporter Published: May 14, 2026 12:36 PM GMT
Disruptions and intimidation targeting screenings of a documentary on indigenous people in Papua are increasing across Indonesia, raising concern among rights groups and Church leaders over shrinking space for dissent and free expression.
Watchdoc, the human rights documentary collective behind Pig Feast: Colonialism of Our Time, reported at least 21 incidents of “serious intimidation” since the film’s release in April.
The incidents include phone calls from security officers, direct monitoring by intelligence personnel, demands for organizers’ identities, and forced shutdowns of events by uniformed and non-uniformed actors.
The group believes the actual number is higher because many organizers choose not to report incidents publicly.
The documentary, directed by veteran journalist Dandhy Dwi Laksono and anthropologist Cypri Jehan Paju Dale, follows the struggle of the Malind, Yei, Awyu, and Muyu peoples against large-scale plantation and food estate projects in Southern Papua.
Despite the pressure, requests for community screenings have surged, reaching nearly 5,000 as of May 12.
Catholic schools, parish youth groups, and Church-linked social justice ministries in several dioceses have expressed interest in hosting screenings as part of pastoral education on indigenous rights and care for creation.
“The young people wanted to understand what is happening in Papua,” said Father Charles Ame Talu, parish priest of Jesus of Divine Mercy in Aeramo, the Archdiocese of Ende, Flores, after requesting a screening in his parish.
In Jakarta, Franciscan priest Father Vinsensius Darmin Mbula, who oversees St. Francis High School, said they will hold a screening on May 23 for students and educators.
“We consider this important for education and for raising young people’s awareness of social and humanitarian issues,” he said.
“This is also our way of resisting the silencing that is growing around this film, which we see as a restriction on freedom of expression.”
“This is the moment when we need strong solidarity from the Indonesian public to demand accountability from the government, the corporations, and the military for what has been happening in Papua,” anthropologist Dale said.
The Indonesian public should ask the government “to stop the large-scale schemes of destruction carried out through plantation and mining concessions backed by military operations” in the Christian-majority Papua region.
He said the film has become a target because it exposes uncomfortable truths.
“Pig feast is disliked by those in power because it exposes to Indonesians — and to the world — the anatomy and modus operandi of systematic violence whose impacts amount to genocide and ecocide.”
According to Dale, the current wave of intimidation is not merely an attack on civil liberties.
“What is at stake is not only free speech in Indonesia, but the very survival of Papua.”
He emphasized the need for moral leadership from faith communities.
“If there is ever a moment when we need the concrete involvement of the Church and religious communities, it is now,” he said.
House Speaker Puan Maharani said the issue would be discussed in parliament, acknowledging that the film’s themes are “sensitive.”
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https://jubi.id/pacnews/2026/meki-nawipa-papua-needs-honest-people-not-just-smart-ones/
3) Meki Nawipa: Papua Needs Honest People, Not Just Smart Ones
IN PACNEWS READING TIME: 2 MINS READ MAY 14, 2026 0
Author : Arjuna Pademme
Editor : Nuevaterra Mambor
Jayapura, Jubi – Central Papua Governor Meki NawipaCentral Papua Governor launches Enforcement Drive against Illegal Mining said Papua does not merely need intelligent people to drive development, but rather individuals who are honest, possess integrity, dignity, and strong moral values.
“I believe that if we work together, we do not necessarily need highly intelligent people, but honest people with integrity, self-respect, and morality. That is enough to build this land. We do not need too many smart people to build this region,” Nawipa said.
The statement was delivered during his closing remarks at the Strategic Coordination Forum for the Acceleration of Papua’s Development in Timika, Mimika, on Tuesday (May 12, 2026).
The forum, themed “Strengthening the Implementation of Papua’s Special Autonomy Policy to Achieve a More Prosperous Papua,” was held from May 11–12, 2026.
According to Nawipa, discussions about security issues in Papua are often used as reasons for hampering development as well as education and healthcare services.
However, he argued that not all regions in Papua are unsafe, and that some individuals use security concerns as an excuse to avoid carrying out their duties and responsibilities.
“We need to look at this from all sides. Not every area is unsafe. Sometimes teachers use security as an excuse because they want to stay in Timika or Nabire if they are assigned in Central Papua. Some teachers are lazy, healthcare workers are lazy, doctors are lazy — they only want to receive their salaries,” he said.
Governor Nawipa emphasized that innovation and collaboration are essential for developing the Land of Papua, in line with the regional development vision of Healthy Papua, Smart Papua, and Productive Papua.
“So in my opinion, Papua does not need merely smart people. Papua needs honest people — people with integrity, dignity, morality, and responsibility,” he concluded. (*)
Nuevaterra Mambor
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https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/china-s-chance-papua-bolster-indonesia-s-green-credentials
4) China’s chance in Papua to bolster Indonesia’s green credentials
YETA PURNAMA MUHAMMAD ZULFIKAR RAKHMAT
Eastern Indonesia needs clean energy investment, not another
extractive cycle – and China is now positioned to provide it.
Indonesia’s latest announcement of expanded cooperation with China in Papua deserves attention not because it signals geopolitical tension, but because it may finally bring long-overdue economic focus to one of the country’s most underdeveloped regions.
Last week, the Indonesian government confirmed that it is working with China on agricultural and educational initiatives in Papua, including vocational schools in Merauke and agricultural research centres aimed at improving rice productivity and reducing poverty.
For years, Papua barely featured in China’s broader investment map in Indonesia. According to the China-Indonesia Provincial Index from the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), Chinese capital was concentrated largely in industrial and downstream-processing hubs such as Sulawesi, Java, and Sumatra. Papua remained peripheral to Beijing’s strategic economic priorities. That is why China’s growing interest in eastern Indonesia should not immediately be interpreted as a threat. In many ways, it is a necessary correction.
Papua has long faced a development imbalance that successive Indonesian administrations have struggled to solve. Infrastructure gaps, high logistics costs, limited industrial activity, and uneven access to education continue to constrain growth in the region. While western Indonesia has benefited from decades of industrial concentration and foreign direct investment, Papua has often remained economically isolated despite its enormous resource wealth.
The question, therefore, is not whether China should expand its footprint in Papua. The real question is what kind of footprint Indonesia should encourage.
The answer should be clear: energy-transition-focused investment.
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Indonesia should resist framing every Chinese investment initiative through the lens of geopolitical rivalry.
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If China wants to play a larger role in Papua, then its investments should prioritise renewable energy infrastructure, clean industrial development, sustainable transportation systems, and green manufacturing capacity. Papua and eastern Indonesia urgently need reliable and affordable electricity to unlock economic potential. At the same time, Indonesia has committed itself to accelerating the transition toward net zero emissions. These two goals should reinforce one another.
Too often, development in resource-rich regions has followed an extractive model that delivers short-term gains while creating long-term environmental and social vulnerabilities. Papua cannot afford another cycle where raw commodities leave the region while local communities continue to face poverty and weak infrastructure. Sustainable energy investment offers a different pathway — one that can create jobs, improve connectivity, lower energy costs, and support broader industrial diversification.
China is well placed to contribute here. In the past decade, Chinese companies have become dominant global players in solar technology, battery manufacturing, electric mobility, and renewable-energy supply chains. Beijing’s expertise in scaling green infrastructure could help Indonesia accelerate electrification in remote regions where conventional energy systems remain expensive and inefficient.
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Papua cannot afford another cycle where raw commodities leave the region while local communities continue to face poverty and weak infrastructure.
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This matters enormously for Papua. Many communities across eastern Indonesia still experience limited access to stable electricity, constraining everything from education to healthcare and small-business development. Renewable energy systems – especially decentralised solar networks, battery storage, and clean-grid expansion – could transform local economies without replicating the environmentally destructive patterns associated with traditional extractive development.
This would also align with President Prabowo Subianto’s broader economic agenda. Indonesian officials have framed the new cooperation with China as part of a wider strategy for poverty alleviation, job creation, and food security. Vocational schools and agricultural research centres in Merauke are intended to improve human capital and create new economic opportunities for Papuans.
That foundation is important because energy transition is not only about infrastructure. It is also about preparing workers and communities for participation in a changing economy. Papua needs technical education, vocational training, and research institutions that allow local populations to benefit directly from future investment rather than remaining spectators to outside development.
There is also a strategic dimension to this shift. Southeast Asia is increasingly becoming an arena for competition among major powers, and Indonesia is navigating a delicate balance between maintaining productive ties with China while preserving its long-standing nonaligned foreign policy tradition. Papua’s growing strategic significance means foreign investment there will inevitably attract scrutiny.
But Indonesia should resist framing every Chinese investment initiative through the lens of geopolitical rivalry. Jakarta’s priority should remain national development outcomes. If China is prepared to support projects that strengthen local economies, expand renewable energy access, and help Indonesia meet its climate commitments, then such cooperation should be welcomed – provided it operates transparently and under Indonesian regulatory oversight.
Transparency and accountability remain crucial. Development in Papua carries political sensitivities and complex social realities. Local communities must have a meaningful role in decision-making processes. Environmental protections cannot become secondary concerns. Foreign investment should strengthen social inclusion rather than deepen inequality or fuel perceptions of exploitation.
Indonesia must also ensure that Papua’s development remains diversified. China can become an important partner, but not the only one. Partnerships with Japan, South Korea, Europe, multilateral development banks, and domestic investors will also be essential to creating a balanced and resilient development base in eastern Indonesia.
Yet China’s new attention to Papua represents an opportunity that should not be dismissed reflexively. For too long, eastern Indonesia has existed outside the main circuits of industrial investment and infrastructure modernisation. If Beijing now wants to engage more deeply in Papua, Indonesia should steer that engagement toward sectors that create sustainable long-term value.
Papua does not need development that merely extracts wealth from the ground. It needs investment that builds human capital, expands clean energy access, supports resilient industries, and connects the region to Indonesia’s future economy.
China’s expanding footprint in Papua will ultimately be judged not by how much money flows into the region, but by whether that investment helps eastern Indonesia participate meaningfully in the country’s transition toward a greener and more equitable future.
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5) Disbandment of Pig Feast (Pesta Babi) Screenings: Freedom of Expression Must Be Protected
IN PACNEWS READING TIME: 2 MINS READ MAY 14, 2026 0
Author : News Desk
Editor : Nuevaterra Mambor
Jayapura, Jubi – The National Commission on Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia (Komnas HAM RI) stated that the government is obligated to protect freedom of expression, artistic freedom, and cultural rights.
The statement was issued in response to recent controversies surrounding the banning and/or forced disbandment of screenings of the documentary film Pesta Babi in several regions across Indonesia.
“The National Commission on Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia expresses concern over intimidation, bans, and/or the forced disbandment of screenings of the film Pesta Babi in several regions of Indonesia,” Komnas HAM RI said in a press release issued on Wednesday (May 13, 2026).
According to Komnas HAM, the Indonesian Constitution guarantees every individual the freedom to express opinions and attitudes, access information, and develop themselves through science, arts, and culture, as stipulated in Articles 28E paragraphs (2) and (3), Article 28F, and Article 28C paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution.
From a human rights perspective, film is regarded as a form of artistic expression, freedom of expression, and cultural rights protected under both the Constitution and international human rights instruments ratified by Indonesia, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights through Law No. 12/2005 and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights through Law No. 11/2005.
Komnas HAM emphasized that any restriction on freedom of expression and cultural activities must be carried out strictly, proportionally, and based on law, and may only be justified for legitimate purposes as regulated under Article 28J of the 1945 Constitution and international human rights principles.
“Restrictions must not be imposed arbitrarily through intimidation, pressure from authorities and/or mass groups, or vigilante actions that threaten citizens’ constitutional rights,” the commission stated.
Komnas HAM further stressed that differing views toward a work of art or film should be addressed through dialogue, criticism, public discussion, and democratic legal mechanisms, rather than unilateral bans or forced dispersal.
The commission added that the state, including regional government officials and security forces, has an obligation to ensure safety for event organizers, filmmakers, audiences, and other community groups so they may exercise their rights peacefully.
Komnas HAM also urged the central and regional governments to guarantee respect for and protection of freedom of expression, artistic freedom, and cultural rights in accordance with constitutional mandates and human rights standards.
The commission called on security forces to act professionally and neutrally while ensuring the safety of all peaceful public activities conducted in accordance with the law.
It also reminded all elements of society to prioritize tolerance, dialogue, and respect for differing views in democratic life, and to resolve objections to artistic works through constitutional legal mechanisms rather than threats, intimidation, or violence.
Indonesia, is a democratic state governed by the rule of law that upholds the respect, protection, and fulfillment of human rights, Komnas HAM noted. Article 28I paragraph (4) of the 1945 Constitution affirms that the protection, promotion, enforcement, and fulfillment of human rights are the responsibility of the state, particularly the government. (*)
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