2) Death sentence against Karel Fatem prompts protests and demands for protection at Sorong Prison
3) Security forces open fire at a group of indigenous Papuans in Yahukimo – Six evacuated in critical condition
4) Kadepa calls for political action to address Papua’s problems
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1) Merauke Food Estate: Indigenous Land Disputes, Police Investigations and Court Ruling Intensify Opposition to National Strategic Project
Indigenous communities in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, continue to oppose the implementation of Indonesia’s National Strategic Project (PSN) for food security amid reports of encroachment on customary land, intimidation of Indigenous land defenders and environmental destruction. Between August and September 2026, several incidents in Ilwayab District highlighted growing tensions between Indigenous landowners, companies and security forces. Meanwhile, the Jayapura State Administrative Court rejected a legal challenge brought by five Indigenous Malind representatives against the environmental approval for a 135-kilometre access road through their customary land.
The Merauke PSN encompasses large-scale agricultural and infrastructure developments affecting an estimated 2.7 million hectares. While the government presents the programme as a means of strengthening national food security, Indigenous communities and civil society organisations have raised concerns about land dispossession, deforestation and the destruction of traditional livelihoods.
Customary land dispute in Ilwayab District leads to police investigation
On 23 August 2026, members of the Moiwend Buako clan discovered forest-clearing activities on their customary land during a patrol in Ilwayab District, Merauke Regency. According to Solidaritas Merauke, the activities were carried out by EIKA AMS KSO, a company involved in infrastructure development associated with the food security PSN and the construction of the new Wanam airport.
The clearing reportedly extended beyond customary land boundaries between the Moiwend Buako and Samkakai clans, affecting Indigenous communities in Bibikem and Yulili villages. The Moiwend Buako clan maintains that neither the company nor the local government had informed or consulted the customary landowners before the activities began. Community members suspect that the company obtained permission from selected individuals without securing the consent of all affected clans.
On 24 August, clan members returned to the site and found that construction activities were continuing. According to the community, they damaged sand-and-cement structures to stop the work and compel the company to negotiate with the customary landowners. Following the incident, the Ilwayab police chief requested that clan member Mr Ariston Moiwend Buako report to the police station. His family refused and instead demanded that the police identify those who had authorised construction on the disputed land.
At approximately 1:00 am on 26 August, a joint delegation of security personnel and local government representatives reportedly arrived at Mr Moiwend Buako ‘s residence. According to Solidaritas Merauke, the delegation included the Ilwayab police chief, a military commander, the district head, 15 Indonesian Army soldiers, nine armed men in civilian clothing and eight individuals suspected of belonging to the state or military intelligence agencies.
Feeling intimidated, Mr Moiwend Buako subsequently went to the police station to provide his account. He was not detained. Merauke Regency Police later issued two summonses for clarification and questioning concerning the alleged destruction and burning of sand-and-cement materials.
In statements issued on 21 and 22 September, Solidaritas Merauke and the Papua Merauke Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua Merauke) characterised the investigation as an attempt to criminalise an Indigenous land defender. LBH director, Mr Teddy Wakum, drew parallels with the 2025 prosecution of Vincent Kwipalo after they attempted to prevent an excavator operated by a sugarcane company from clearing customary land.
The organisations called on the police to discontinue the investigation against Mr Ariston Moiwend Buako, examine the legal basis for the company’s activities and prevent further intimidation of the Moiwend Buako family. The solidarity group also urged the provincial and regency governments to protect the affected community and requested monitoring by Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).
Indigenous community reports removal of eight black crosses
On 2 September 2026, the Moiwend Buako clan erected eight black crosses at Molu, Babong, Yapel, Kelepi, Kakobodol, Ongabuk, Esrum and Obub. The crosses symbolised the community’s opposition to the PSN and signified a customary prohibition on further activities within its territory. During a patrol on 5 September, community members discovered that all eight crosses had been removed. Coconut trees planted by the community had also reportedly been uprooted and discarded.
Solidaritas Merauke alleged that unidentified individuals supporting the PSN were responsible and described the incident as part of a broader pattern of intimidation. The identity of those responsible remains unknown. The coalition called on the Indonesian President, the Governor of South Papua Province and the Regent of Merauke Regency to establish a fact-finding team. It also demanded the suspension of government and corporate activities on the clan’s customary territory until the underlying land dispute is resolved.
Administrative Court rejects Indigenous Malind challenge to 135-kilometre access road
On 18 September 2026, the Jayapura State Administrative Court rejected a lawsuit brought by five Indigenous Malind representatives against Merauke Regent’s Decree No. 100.3.3.2/1105/2025, which granted environmental approval for a 135-kilometre access road connecting Wanam and Muting as part of the Ministry of Defence’s food security project.
The plaintiffs, Simon Petrus Balagaize, Sinta Gebze, Liborius Kodai Moiwend, Kanisius Dagil and Andreas Mahuse, filed the lawsuit on 5 March 2026 under case number 9/G/LH/2026/PTUN Jayapura. They argued that construction had begun approximately one year before environmental approval was granted and that the project had proceeded without the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) of the affected Indigenous communities.
On 17 September, one day before the ruling, members of the Malind Anim Kondo Digoel Indigenous Peoples’ Forum organised a protest march to the Merauke Regent’s Office. Demonstrators carried red and black crosses, symbolising their rejection of the project and their determination to defend their customary territories.
The court dismissed the lawsuit, concluding that the environmental approval had complied with applicable legal requirements, including environmental impact assessment and public consultation procedures. The plaintiffs retain the possibility of appealing the decision.
The plaintiffs’ legal representatives from Pusaka Bentala Rakyat and Greenpeace Indonesia criticised the ruling, arguing that the judges had failed to adequately consider testimony from four Indigenous Malind witnesses describing forest clearance before consultation with customary landowners.
According to the plaintiffs’ lawyers, construction continued throughout the proceedings despite an instruction from the presiding judge to halt the works on 9 June 2026. Greenpeace’s satellite monitoring indicated that the road had reached approximately 135 kilometres by September.Affected communities reported declining availability of traditional food sources and game animals, increased dust, higher temperatures and deteriorating water quality following forest clearance.
International scrutiny and unresolved human rights concerns
The developments follow earlier international scrutiny of the Merauke PSN. In March 2025, nine UN Special Procedures mandates raised allegations of human rights and environmental violations associated with the project and requested clarification from the Indonesian government.
The government responded in May 2025, rejecting allegations that the project violated human rights and environmental requirements. Solidaritas Merauke criticised the response as inadequate and called for direct monitoring by the relevant UN mandate holders.
The project’s security dimension has also attracted criticism. The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) reported that approximately 2,000 Indonesian military personnel arrived in Merauke in November 2024 to support the food security programme. Civil society organisations have expressed concern that the deployment of security forces in areas affected by unresolved customary land disputes may contribute to intimidation.
Detailed Case Data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-131-2026
Location: Ilyawab, Merauke Regency, South Papua, Indonesia (-7.4504081, 139.1221414)
Region: Indonesia > South Papua > Merauke > Ilwayab
Total number of victims: dozens
Document ID: HRM-CAS-131-2026
Location: Ilyawab, Merauke Regency, South Papua, Indonesia (-7.4504081, 139.1221414)
Region: Indonesia > South Papua > Merauke > Ilwayab
Total number of victims: dozens
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Ariston Moiwend Buako | male | adult | Human Rights Defender (HRD), Indigenous Peoples | criminalisation |
| 2. | dozens | mixed | unknown | Indigenous Peoples | intimidation |
Perpetrators:
Republic Indonesia > Government
Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Military (TNI)
Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Police > Indonesian National Police (POLRI)
Issues: business, human rights and FPIC, indigenous peoples
Sources:
Suara Papua
Jubi
Nadi Papua
Suara Papua
Related Cases:
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2) Death sentence against Karel Fatem prompts protests and demands for protection at Sorong Prison
Papuan human rights activists and civil society organisations have called for the protection of Mr Karel Fatem (see photo on top, source: LBH Kaki Abu), a Papuan prisoner allegedly affiliated with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), following a death sentence imposed during cassation proceedings before Indonesia’s Supreme Court in early August 2026. On 12 August 2026, demonstrators gathered outside Sorong Class IIB Prison, where Mr Fatem was being held, demanding that prison authorities guarantee his safety, prevent intimidation, facilitate family visits and refrain from transferring him to a prison outside West Papua.
According to Suara Papua, Mr Fatem was prosecuted in connection with two separate incidents: an attack in Kisor Village, Maybrat Regency, on 2 September 2021, and the shooting of an Indonesian military member in Fankahrio Village on 20 January 2022. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty in the Fankahrio case, but the trial court imposed a life sentence. The sentence was reportedly upheld on appeal before prosecutors pursued cassation proceedings before the Supreme Court, which subsequently imposed the death penalty.
On 12 August 2026, members of the Domberay People’s Front Against National Strategic Projects and Militarism in West Papua organised a spontaneous demonstration outside Sorong Class IIB Prison. Protesters urged prison authorities to guarantee Mr Fatem’s physical safety and protect him against intimidation, threats and other forms of violence. The demonstrators also opposed any transfer to Makassar, arguing that relocation could restrict access to his family and legal representatives.
Human rights analysis
The death sentence raises questions under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the right to life and strictly limits the circumstances in which states that retain capital punishment may impose it. Under the interpretation adopted by the UN Human Rights Committee, the death penalty may be imposed only for crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing. Any death sentence must also comply with the stringent fair trial guarantees established under Article 14 of the ICCPR. A death sentence resulting from proceedings that violate these guarantees constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life under Article 6.
The concerns raised about Fatem’s treatment in Sorong Class IIB Prison also engage Indonesia’s obligations under Articles 7 and 10 of the ICCPR, including the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and the requirement that persons deprived of their liberty be treated with humanity and respect for their inherent dignity. The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) further establish that prisoners should be able to maintain regular contact with their families, have confidential access to legal advisers and, to the extent possible, be accommodated in prisons close to their homes. Although a transfer to another detention facility is not automatically unlawful, any decision concerning Mr Fatem’s relocation should take account of his safety, access to legal representation, family contact and the availability of effective legal remedies.
Protest in ffront of Sorong Prison on 12 August 2026
Detailed Case Data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-132-2026
Location: Sorong, Sorong City, Southwest Papua, Indonesia (-0.8761629, 131.255828)
Region: Indonesia > Southwest Papua > Sorong > Sorong
Total number of victims: 1
Document ID: HRM-CAS-132-2026
Location: Sorong, Sorong City, Southwest Papua, Indonesia (-0.8761629, 131.255828)
Region: Indonesia > Southwest Papua > Sorong > Sorong
Total number of victims: 1
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Karel Fatem | male | adult | Indigenous Peoples | fair trial |
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Government > Prosecution
Issues: indigenous peoples
Sources:
Suara Papua
Related Cases:
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3) Security forces open fire at a group of indigenous Papuans in Yahukimo – Six evacuated in critical condition
Security forces reportedly open fire at a group ofsix indigenous Papuan civilians near Samboga Village, Yahukimo Regency, on 18 September 2026, while returning from a local gold-panning site. Personnel from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) allegedly released shots without prior warning. All six sustained gunshot wounds during the incident. Mr Pilatus Porpom, 25, and Mr Daniel Timuka, 19, were evacuated to the Yahukimo Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Dekai on 22 September 2026. Four other men could be located and subsequently evacuated with gunshot wounds on 23 September 2026.
According to local sources, a group of six indigenous Papuan men left a gold-panning site near Samboga Village on 18 September 2026. The men were reportedly returning to their homes after completing their work. All are local civilians relying on farming and small-scale gold panning for their livelihoods.
The sources allege that security personnel had been monitoring the group’s movements through aerial surveillance using drones. Members of the Indonesian military and police were reportedly deployed near the end of a paved road and a river crossing along the route towards Samboga Village. The reports identify personnel from the Habema Task Force, Operation Damai Cartenz, the Rajawali Task Force and the Indonesian Marine Corps as having participated in the security operation. The precise composition of the units present at the shooting location and the involvement of individual personnel have not been independently established.
At approximately 12.15 am, the group allegedly encountered security personnel near the end of the paved road. The officers reportedly opened fire without issuing a warning or attempting to establish the men’s identities. Mr Pilatus Porpom and Mr Daniel Timuka, sustained serious gunshot injuries, while four others reportedly fled into the surrounding forest (see photos below, source: indepndent HRD). The precise circumstances and extent of the injuries suffered by the four missing men remain unclear.
The injured men reportedly remained without adequate medical assistance for several days. According to local sources, Indonesian military personnel had restricted overland access to Samboga Village from 18 September 2026, preventing relatives and humanitarian responders from reaching the victims and transporting them to hospital.
On 22 September 2026, a joint humanitarian team comprising representatives of the Yahukimo Churches’ Association (PGGY), traditional leaders, relatives, village heads and humanitarian activists conducted an evacuation operation. The team succeeded in evacuating Mr Porpom and Timuka to the Yahukimo Regional General Hospital in Dekai (see photos below, source: independent HRD).
Both men were reportedly in critical condition when they reached the hospital. According to the latest information received, they required intensive medical treatment, with the presence of retained bullets reported in their bodies. Their subsequent medical condition and the precise nature of their injuries have not yet been independently verified. The remaining victims were evacuated to the Yahukimo General Hospital on 23 September 2026. All of them sustained gunshot wounds and needed intense medical care.
Alleged intimidation of civilians and damage to a church
The reported shooting occurred in the context of a wider security operation affecting Samboga Village and its surrounding areas. Local sources alleged that military and police personnel intimidated residents, restricted their movements and interfered with civilian activities. During the operation, security personnel allegedly beat a young man.
Residents also reported that security personnel entered and damaged the GJRP Amal Samba Church in Samboga Village. According to the accounts received, the church doors, pews and pulpit were severely damaged. (see photos below, source: Kingmi Papua) The alleged destruction of the church and intimidation of residents have heightened concerns about the protection of civilian infrastructure, religious facilities and witnesses during security operations in Yahukimo Regency.
Responses from religious and traditional leaders
Religious leaders condemned the reported shooting and the alleged destruction of the GJRP Amal Samba Church. They emphasised that security operations must not target unarmed civilians and called for the Indonesian authorities to take responsibility for the damage reportedly caused by their personnel.
Traditional leaders stressed that security personnel operating in West Papua must understand the livelihoods and cultural practices of indigenous communities. He explained that many residents depend on farming, hunting, fishing, sago harvesting and other subsistence activities, frequently requiring them to travel through forests and remote areas. He cautioned against treating civilians as members of armed groups merely because they are travelling through such areas or carrying traditional hunting equipment. Given the ancestral relationship between indigenous communities and their customary lands, security personnel must respect the rights of local communities and exercise restraint when conducting operations in areas inhabited by indigenous peoples.
Community representatives called upon the Yahukimo Regency Government to facilitate unrestricted humanitarian access to the affected communities. They urged Regent Didimus Yahuli and the leadership of the Yahukimo Regency Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRK) to ensure that residents could resume their normal activities without being indiscriminately treated as members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). Relatives of the victims similarly rejected the alleged indiscriminate identification of local residents as members of armed groups. They emphasised their status as civilians and their longstanding connection to the affected villages.
Church representatives and traditional leaders also called for dialogue between the Indonesian Government and the TPNPB as a means of addressing the continuing armed conflict and preventing further civilian casualties.
Human rights analysis
Alleged unlawful use of lethal force and violation of the right to life. The reported shooting raises serious concerns under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the right to life and prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life. Under the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, intentional lethal force may be used only when strictly unavoidable to protect life. If the six men were unarmed civilians returning from their workplace and did not pose an imminent threat of death or serious injury, the reported use of firearms would raise serious concerns regarding necessity and proportionality. If the incident occurred in connection with the conduct of hostilities during an armed conflict, the applicable rules of international humanitarian law would additionally prohibit directing attacks against civilians and require compliance with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack. The mere presence of civilians in a conflict-affected area or their engagement in traditional subsistence activities does not, in itself, make them lawful military targets.
The reported restrictions on humanitarian access, which allegedly prevented the timely evacuation of the two seriously injured men, raise additional concerns regarding the rights to life and health under Articles 6 of the ICCPR and 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). International humanitarian law requires parties to armed conflict to take all possible measures to search for, collect and care for the wounded and sick without adverse distinction. If military personnel deliberately prevented medical assistance from reaching injured civilians without a lawful justification, their actions could constitute a serious violation of applicable international obligations. The continuing uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts of four men also requires an urgent and effective search, including verification of whether any of them have been apprehended by security forces.
The reported beating of a potential witness raises concerns under Article 7 of the ICCPR, which prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. If the alleged assault was intended to prevent the disclosure of information about the shooting, it would also raise concerns regarding witness protection and interference with efforts to establish accountability. The reported damages to the GIDI church requires investigation under Article 18 of the ICCPR, which protects freedom of religion, as well as the applicable rules of international humanitarian law concerning the protection of civilian objects and places of worship. Furthermore, the reported restrictions on movement and subsistence activities should be assessed in light of the rights of indigenous communities to maintain their traditional livelihoods, cultural practices and relationship with their ancestral lands, including the protections afforded by Articles 17 and 27 of the ICCPR and Articles 10, 20 and 26 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
The Indonesian authorities have an obligation to conduct a prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the reported shooting, the alleged obstruction of medical assistance, the reported assault on a potential witness and the destruction of the church. Investigators should establish the identities and command structures of the security personnel involved, obtain operational orders and deployment records, preserve relevant surveillance and ballistic evidence, and document the injuries sustained by the victims. The investigation should determine whether the use of firearms complied with the applicable legal framework and whether any individual or command responsibility arises from the conduct of the operation. Effective safeguards must be established to protect victims, witnesses and their relatives against intimidation or retaliation. Where evidence establishes criminal responsibility, those responsible should be prosecuted in accordance with international fair-trial standards, and victims should receive appropriate medical care, rehabilitation and effective remedies.
Mr Pilatrus Porpom and Mr Daniel Timuka received medical treatment at the Yahukimo Regional General Hospital in Dekai, 22 September 2026
Detailed Case Data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-130-2026
Location: Samboga, Seradala, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-5.1007414, 140.0393017)
Region: Indonesia > Highland Papua > Yahukimo > Seradala
Total number of victims: dozens
Document ID: HRM-CAS-130-2026
Location: Samboga, Seradala, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-5.1007414, 140.0393017)
Region: Indonesia > Highland Papua > Yahukimo > Seradala
Total number of victims: dozens
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Pilatus Porpom | male | 25 | Indigenous Peoples | ill-treatment, right to life |
| 2. | 1 | Daniel Timuka | male | 19 | Indigenous Peoples | ill-treatment, right to life |
| 3. | 1 | Kani Porpom | male | 20 | Indigenous Peoples | ill-treatment, right to life |
| 4. | 1 | Yanus Patika | male | 28 | Indigenous Peoples | ill-treatment, right to life |
| 5. | 1 | Elli Timuka | male | 28 | Indigenous Peoples | ill-treatment, right to life |
| 6. | 1 | Yonas Aje | male | 22 | Indigenous Peoples | ill-treatment, right to life |
| 7. | 1 | male | unknown | Indigenous Peoples | ill-treatment | |
| 8. | dozens | mixed | unknown | Indigenous Peoples | intimidation |
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces
Perpetrator details: Habema Task Force, Operation Damai Cartenz, the Rajawali Task Force and the Indonesian Marine Corps
Issues: drones and clusterammunition, indigenous peoples, security force violence——————————————————————
4) Kadepa calls for political action to address Papua’s problems
News Desk September 23, 2026
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua needs practical action rather than political disputes and heated debate, according to Papuan political figure Laurenzus Kadepa.
Kadepa said too much energy was being spent building political narratives and personal popularity while longstanding problems facing communities remained unresolved.
He said Papua was not short of people willing to speak, political platforms, conferences, political statements or media coverage.
“What remains a major task is ensuring that the fundamental problems facing communities are actually addressed. For me, politics must return to substance and putting people’s interests first,” Kadepa told Jubi via a messaging application on Tuesday (22/9/2026).
Kadepa said success should not be measured by how often a politician appeared in the media, but by how far government policies improved people’s lives.
He said communities in remote areas still needed greater attention to education. Papuan children were entitled to proper schools, enough teachers, adequate educational facilities and equal opportunities to build their futures.
“In healthcare, communities need medical workers, medicines, health facilities and services that genuinely reach villages. Problems such as malnutrition, stunting and endemic diseases cannot be solved through slogans alone,” he said.
In the economic sector, Kadepa said Papuans should play a central role in development. Local commodities should be developed, community businesses strengthened, and Papuan entrepreneurs given fair access, opportunities and space to grow.
He said the same applied to Indigenous rights and customary land disputes. Development should not disregard the rights of Indigenous communities who live on and have customary ties to their land.
Every policy, he said, should be based on transparency, dialogue, respect for customary rights and legal certainty.
“I believe Papua needs the courage to solve problems, not simply the courage to talk about them. We need politics that is calm but firm,” he said.
Kadepa said criticism should be aimed at improving conditions rather than simply attracting attention. Dialogue should provide a space for finding solutions, rather than becoming a platform for people to blame one another.
He said humanity, justice, education, healthcare, the people’s economy, customary rights and peace should be the key measures of government policy in Papua.
“We should not become so focused on winning arguments in the media while people are still struggling to make a living and get through their everyday lives. Papua does not need political noise. Papua needs practical action, commitment to its people and consistency,” Kadepa said. (*)
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