Jayapura, Jubi – Papuan women attending a free speech forum organized by the Dogiyai Student Association in Jayapura voiced opposition to what they described as ongoing violence against women and children in Papua.
The gathering took place in the Lingkaran Abepura area, Abepura District, Jayapura, on Monday (May 11, 2026).
During the forum, women’s activist Vero Hubi said Papuan women continue to bear the impact of prolonged conflict, including violence, displacement, and the loss of family members.
“I speak on behalf of Papuan women who have become victims of violence, forced displacement, and the loss of loved ones due to the prolonged conflict in Papua. Many Papuan women today live in fear and under constant pressure,” Hubi said.
She stressed that Papuan women would no longer remain silent in the face of continued suffering.
Hubi also drew attention to the condition of internally displaced communities in several conflict-affected regions, saying many women and children had been forced to flee after homes were allegedly occupied by security forces.
She further alleged that some women were injured in bomb explosions while attempting to protect their children.
She also urged institutions responsible for women’s and children’s protection to investigate alleged human rights abuses in Papua and publicly release the findings.
“We demand transparency in the investigation process and justice for the victims,” she said.
Another participant, Yustina Butu, spoke about the psychological burden experienced by Papuans, particularly students from Dogiyai living in Jayapura.
Butu called on Dogiyai Police to thoroughly investigate and take responsibility for a number of incidents, especially those involving teenage victims in Dogiyai Regency.
She also said alleged acts of violence committed by security personnel against civilians in Yahukimo and Mimika regencies, including against women and children, must be held accountable.
According to Butu, the duty of the military and police is to protect civilians, yet many civilians have instead become victims of violence.
“For that reason, we are calling on Dogiyai Police to conduct a comprehensive evaluation regarding the shootings of civilians,” she said.
She further urged the Dogiyai Regency administration in Central Papua to work together with police authorities in addressing the cases.
Butu emphasized the role of women as mothers who nurture and raise children, saying both the government and security forces must properly fulfill their responsibilities to safeguard the public.
“We want our children to grow up safely and peacefully—not in fear or exposed to violence and inhumane treatment. We hope the state and the government will hear and consider our demands,” she said. (*)
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Senator the Hon Penny Wong
Minister for Foreign Affairs
PO Box 6100
Senate
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
13 May 2026
Dear Foreign Minister,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Australia West Papua Association in Sydney concerning the human rights situation in West Papua.
AWPA is greatly concerned at the deteriorating human rights situation in the territory. There are ongoing human rights abuses being committed against the West Papuan people by the Indonesian security forces. West Papuans continue to be arrested and intimidated as they take part in rallies on days of significance in their history or protesting against the injustices they suffer under Indonesian rule.
Regular clashes continue between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and the security forces resulting in military operations which have caused thousands of local people to flee to the jungle or other regencies because of their fear of the Indonesian military.
In a report in the local media paper Jubi (21st April), The Papua Church Council said there are approximately 107,000 people which have been internally displaced across Papua as of April 2026, caused by the escalating violence and a worsening humanitarian crisis since late 2018. The council also reported that the situation has intensified in recent months particularly between March and April in highland areas such as the Puncak and Dogiyai regencies.
A church spokesperson said the increased military operations have caused mass displacement and disrupted access for people to basic services He reported that in addition to causing casualties, the situation has disrupted education, economic activity and worship, while access to healthcare remains limited.
Human Rights Monitor (HRM) in its January 2026 update also reported that the “human rights situation between January and March 2026 remains dire”. HRM reported that there was a significant rise in arbitrary detentions in conflict zones in West Papua and particularly in the Dekai District of the Yahukimo Regency . It also reported that “a significant number of these arbitrary detentions were reportedly accompanied by torture. Officials used coercive and violent measures to extract information about the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) or to force confessions from detainees”.
and
“These developments took place alongside ongoing military operations in the regencies Intan Jaya and Puncak, reportedly involving battle drones, mortars and air strikes in civilian populated areas across the central highlands. As a result, the number of internally displaced persons continues to rise”.
We understand that you are well aware of the numerous reports documenting the grave situation in the territory. However , we would like to point out that one of the most recent cases of abuse by the security forces was committed as recently as the 5th May.
On the 5th May, students held a parade to celebrate their school graduation in Kobakma town in the Central Mamberamo Regency.
Because the students were carrying their national flag, the Morning Star and had also spray painted the symbol on their school uniforms, which is a common practice with students graduating in West Papua, the police tried to block the parade when it approached near the local police station.
Seven students were reported injured after the Indonesian security forces fired shots and tear gas to disperse the students after the situation escalated when the security forces tried to stop the celebration.
We understand that it is in the interest of the Government to have good relations with Indonesia, but good relations with Jakarta should not be at the expense of the West Papuan people.
The Australian Government is concerned with stability in the region.
But if the Government ignores the ongoing human rights abuses , the military operations against the West Papuan people, it will lead to the very instability the Government fears.
We urge you to use your good offices with Jakarta to urge it to halt all military operations in the territory as a way of easing tension and potentially saving lives.
Urge Jakarta to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory, which is what the West Papuans are calling for.
Yours sincerely
Joe Collins
AWPA (Sydney)
CC. Various Human Rights and media organisations
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Radhiyya Indra The Jakarta Post
May 13, 2026
JAKARTA – Crackdowns by the Indonesian Military (TNI) on public screenings of a documentary exploring land conflicts and the TNI presence in Papua have intensified concerns over shrinking space for free expression and the military’s expanding role beyond defense under President Prabowo Subianto.
The disruptions targeted screenings of Pesta Babi (Pig Party), a documentary by investigative journalist Dandhy Laksono, who in 2019 directed Sexy Killers on Indonesia’s coal industry and the 2024 film Dirty Vote on the presidential election, both of which were met with controversy for their politically laden content.
Produced by WatchDoc alongside several environmental and legal advocacy groups, Pesta Babiexplores deforestation and land conversion in Papua linked to the government’s expanding food estate and energy transition programs, which have been designated National Strategic Projects (PSN) under President Prabowo’s administration.
The documentary’s trailer depicts indigenous Papuan communities resisting the conversion of customary forests into industrial plantations, all the while tracing the corporate ownership networks behind plantation projects in southern Papua.
Since its limited release in April, screenings of the documentary have repeatedly faced intimidation, cancellations and forced shutdowns by local authorities in cities ranging from Yogyakarta to West Nusa Tenggara, with at least 21 incidents documented by a coalition of 10 civil society organizations.
One of the most prominent disruptions occurred in Ternate, North Maluku, last Saturday, when soldiers led by Ternate Military District commander Lt. Col. Jani Setiadi halted a screening over what Jani described as the film’s sensitive and potentially provocative content.
“We saw on social media that many people rejected this film because they considered it provocative from the title alone,” Jani said on Saturday, according to videos circulating on X.
He maintained that the decision represented neither his personal opinion nor the institutional stance of the military.
Dandhy rejected accusations that the film was provocative, calling the breaking up of the screening “illogical” and warning that it threatened democratic space.
“Excuses such as provocative or unconducive conditions indicate the military’s increasingly reckless stance,” he was quoted as saying by Tempo on Sunday.
Freedom of speech clampdown
The crackdown has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups, legal aid organizations and press freedom advocates, who have accused security personnel of violating constitutional protections on free expression and public access to information.
“In a democratic society, differences of opinion regarding a work should be addressed through discussion, criticism or the choice not to watch, not through bans and intimidation,” the groups said in a joint statement on Saturday.
The coalition, which includes the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and the Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation in Papua, also condemned the military’s involvement, saying the actions “clearly contradict the Military Law”.
“The law stipulates TNI members as a state instrument for defense, not security or public order,” the coalition added.
Military analyst Rizal Darma Putra of the Indonesia Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies (Lesperssi) shared similar concerns, warning that the lack of accountability could embolden the military to further intimidation.
“The officers and their higher-ups should be punished, […] or else, such military intervention in non-defense matters will continue to be normalized,” Rizal told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
The controversy comes amid broader concerns about the expanding role of the military under Prabowo, following the increasing involvement of active and retired officers in civilian institutions and PSN, including food estate programs.
Rights groups have also repeatedly criticized the government’s ongoing military operations in Papua, where clashes between security forces and armed separatists have coincided with land expansion projects.
Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai weighed in on the controversy on Monday, saying film screenings and public watch parties could not be banned arbitrarily without a legal basis or a court ruling.
Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Donny Pramono did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comments.
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Jayapura, Jubi – A teenager killed during a police operation in Dogiyai and later identified by security forces as a member of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) was in fact a high school student, according to a local civil society representative.
Benny Goo of Papuan People’s Solidarity in Dogiyai told Jubi by phone on Monday (May 11, 2026) that Nopison Tebai, 17, was an active student at SMAN 2 Dogiyai, enrolled in Grade XI Social Sciences with National Student Identification Number (NISN) 0079405733.
“Nopison Tebai was purely a student of SMAN 2 Dogiyai,” Goo said.
According to Goo, the shooting occurred on Sunday (May 10, 2026) in Dogimani Village, Dogiyai District, when police personnel conducted a sweep operation in the area at around 8:45 AM local time.
At the time, Tebai and several other youths were gathered at a field behind the Dogiyai District Office near the border between Idadagi and Dogimani villages. Goo said the field had recently been used for fundraising football and volleyball tournaments.
He explained that Tebai and several committee members had spent the night in a tent guarding the area after staying awake overnight.
“Because he had not slept during the night, he was still asleep that morning,” Goo said.
He said Tebai woke up after hearing gunshots, but by then his friends had already run away.
“As he started running, a stray bullet hit him in the chest and exited through his back, killing him instantly,” Goo said.
Following the shooting, Goo said police personnel returned to the Polres Dogiyai headquarters, while local residents and the victim’s relatives transported Tebai’s body to the family home.
Jubi attempted to contact Dogiyai Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Denis Arya Putra through phone calls and text messages, but received no direct response.
Instead, the police chief forwarded several news reports containing statements he had issued shortly after the incident.
In those statements, Denis Arya Putra said the operation was launched in response to a series of security disturbances along the Nabire–Enarotali trans-road corridor, including shootings targeting civilian vehicles and acts of vandalism by unidentified individuals.
According to the police chief, personnel from the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Task Force Resimen III were conducting routine patrols and sweep operations in the Kali Kasuari and Idadagi areas when they allegedly came under fire from an armed group in Idadagi Village.
Police officers then returned fire and fatally shot one individual suspected of belonging to the armed group.
“Because our personnel came under fire from an armed group, officers carried out firm and measured action and neutralized the perpetrator. The deceased is suspected to be a member of the TPNPB-OPM Kodap XI Odiyai Dogiyai Battalion 03 Degeianouda named Napison Tebai,” Denis Arya Putra said on Sunday (May 10, 2026). (*)
Larius Kogoya
Jayapura, Jubi – Students from Dogiyai Regency, Central Papua, currently studying in Jayapura have issued a public statement regarding the series of incidents that took place in Dogiyai between March 31 and April 2, 2026.
The statement was delivered by the Dogiyai Student Association during a free speech forum held in the Abepura Circle area, Abepura District, Jayapura City, on Monday (May 11, 2026).
The students stated that at least five civilians were killed and three others suffered gunshot wounds during security sweeps conducted by Indonesian security personnel in the area.
The sweeping operation was carried out after the killing of a police officer, identified as Jufentus Edowai, who was found dead with multiple machete wounds in Moanemani on the morning of March 31, 2026.
Field coordinator Fredi Pigai said the killing triggered sweeping operations by Indonesian National Army Forces (TNI) and (Indonesian National Police) Polri personnel, which allegedly resulted in civilian casualties.
Those killed were identified as Siprianus Tibakoto (19), who was shot in the chin in Ikebo Village; Yulita Pigai (70), who died after being shot in the thigh during a security sweep in Ikebo Village; Martinus Yobe (12), an elementary school student who died after being shot in the abdomen in Ekemanida Village; Angkian Edowai (19), who was fatally shot in the chest in Kimupugi Village; and Ferdinand Auwe (19), a youth from Puweta II who died after being shot in the thigh in Ikebo Village.
Meanwhile, the injured victims were identified as Maikel Waine (11), who suffered a gunshot wound to the chest that penetrated his left shoulder and remains in critical condition; Pigai Kikibi (19), who sustained gunshot wounds to the heel and thigh; and Magapai Yobee (19), who was shot in the face.
In their statement, the students also demanded legal accountability for the deaths of civilians in Dogiyai, condemned the shooting of children and elderly residents, and urged a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
They further called on the National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia (Komnas HAM) to investigate the killing of Bripda Jufentus Edowai so that the case would not be used to justify retaliatory operations.
Additional demands included evaluating security personnel accused of excessive use of force, providing support for victims’ families, withdrawing both organic and non-organic military personnel from Papua, rejecting military operations and the criminalization of civilians, and opposing the New Autonomous Regions (DOB) policy in Papua.
The students also urged the government to ensure the safe return of displaced residents and called for national and international solidarity in monitoring the humanitarian situation in Papua. They further demanded access for the United Nations and independent international parties to conduct investigations in the region.
Deputy field coordinator Melianus Tagai said the statement was not read aloud during the protest because no representatives from the Papua office of Komnas HAM attended to receive the students’ aspirations.
“As a result, we will hold a silent protest in front of the Komnas HAM office in Jayapura. We chose not to read the statement because we wanted Komnas HAM to come directly and hear our concerns,” he said.
Tagai argued that the humanitarian situation in Papua has persisted since the Trikora military operation in 1961, creating a prolonged cycle of violence, intimidation, and injustice.
“This is no longer merely a series of isolated incidents, but a humanitarian crisis that has created fear, suffering, and insecurity for our parents and younger generations,” he said. (*)
