DFAT reply to AWPA letter
AWPA's letter
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Arts, culture & social functions, Muloobinba/Newcastle
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
1) 'Digital colonisation': West Papuan activist targeted in fake AI-generated reel
2) European Parliament Calls for Accountability Over Acid Attacks on Indonesian Activists
3) Prabowo’s Export SOE Plan Draws Criticism: Fears of Monopoly, State Capitalism Resurface
4) Indonesia Bidik to Take Over Papua Museum in Germany, Its Collection Reaches 1,700 Objects
5) ‘Planetary destruction on fast-forward’: witnessing the disappearance of Indonesia’s ‘eternity glaciers’
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1) 'Digital colonisation': West Papuan activist targeted in fake AI-generated reel
3:20 pm today
Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific senior journalist
A West Papuan independence activist says AI-generated fake footage of her and her words has been used to spread disinformation on social media.
Koteka Wenda, daughter of the leader of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Benny Wenda, said the Instagram video reel by an Indonesian nationalist account cast her speaking out against a new film about land grabs and human rights abuses in Papua.
Indonesian authorities have stopped some screenings of the Pesta Babi, or Pig Feast, documentary, citing concerns for 'public order'.
Wenda, who is based in the Netherlands, described it as violating that her words, body language and movements had been misused in a propaganda video, through AI-manipulation of previous footage that she had posted herself online speaking about West Papuan independence.
"This video is really concerning, because to the untrained eye it looks as if it's me speaking against human rights, or at least the sharing of important documentaries like Pesta Babi."
Targeted voices
Wenda said Al was being used to spread political disinformation targeting West Papuan voices and Indigenous activists.
"There could be people out there, you know, other West Papuans themselves seeing my face for a prominent West Papuan activist, suddenly switching sides. It's really problematic, because this is it can build public distrust."
She appears to be the first of the younger wave of West Papuan activists to be targetted at this new level of sophistication and reach, with hundreds of thousands of views.
"This is digital colonisation. This is a new form of it's a new colonial tactic to oppress us West Papuans. I mean, not only does Indonesia seek to steal our land and steal our futures, but they're also stealing our bodies and our voices, and I feel very much violated by this recent AI video."
Tech accountability
Wenda said people have been reporting the fake Instagram reel and blocking it.
"Some people have even been claiming that it's digital blackface, but it hasn't been taken down. And this is really concerning.
"But the comment section, since I spoke up about it, the comment section had been flooded with messages and comments from a lot of our Free West Papua friends stating that this is AI, this is not real, this is fake. So, there is discourse, there is like conversation happening."
But this video has muddied the waters somewhat, and Wenda advised social media users to always be ready to adopt a critical lens and check the source of posts and reels.
But the social media platforms have a responsibility too, she said.
"It's important that social media platforms take this seriously and push for transparency, push for accountability."
RNZ Pacific has reached out to the Indonesian government for comment.
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2) European Parliament Calls for Accountability Over Acid Attacks on Indonesian Activists
On 21 May 2026, the European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for accountability in the attacks against human rights and environmental defenders Andrie Yunus and Muhammad Rosidi. The last time the Parliament passed a resolution specifically focusing on the human rights situation in Indonesia was almost a decade ago, showing a growing international concern in the deteriorating conditions in the country.
Andrie Yunus, the Deputy Coordinator of KontraS, suffered permanent injuries following the acid attack allegedly carried out by four Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel on 12 March 2026 in Jakarta. It is believed that the attack was retaliation for Mr. Yunus’s criticism of military abuses. The previous month saw a similar acid attack against the environmental activist Muhammad Rosidi in Sumatera, believed to be due to his advocacy against illegal mining in Bangka Belitung. So far nobody has been held accountable for the attack against Mr. Rosidi.
Despite the promises of Reformasi in the turn of the century to bring the Indonesian military under civilian control, the armed forces failed to withdraw from economic activities and remain involved in mining, agribusiness and other large-scale economic projects across the archipelago, often involving serious human rights abuses against local communities. The recent documentary “Pesta Babi” criticises military abuses in the Merauke Food Estate Project, and at least 21 showings of the film in Indonesia were subject to intimidation, cancellation or shutdowns by military officials and their allies.
The resolution expresses concern about impunity in Indonesian, given the military’s involvement in the attack against Andrie Yunus and trying the case in a military rather than civilian tribunal. It draws attention to shrinking civic space across the country and violence in West Papua. Furthermore, it urges “the EU and the Member States to intensify engagement with Indonesia, including at the highest level and in international forums, to address the deteriorating human rights situation, particularly in Papua and West Papua”.
The resolution was introduced by five political groups, with members of all eight political groups voting in favour. It is directed to the European Union institutions, the Member States, and the Government and Parliament of Indonesia.
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3) Prabowo’s Export SOE Plan Draws Criticism: Fears of Monopoly, State Capitalism Resurface
IN PACNEWS READING TIME: 3 MINS READ MAY 26, 2026 0 Author : News Desk Editor : Nuevaterra Mambor
Jayapura, Jubi – The Indonesian government’s plan under President Prabowo Subianto to establish a state-owned export enterprise (BUMN Khusus Ekspor) has sparked sharp criticism from civil society groups. The proposed policy is seen as potentially fueling excessive state dominance in the economy, distorting market competition, and reviving memories of monopolistic commodity practices from the New Order era.
The proposal was introduced by President Prabowo during a plenary cabinet session on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. He said the Export SOE would strengthen Indonesia’s position in global trade, curb tax leakages, and increase the added value of national commodities. Under the scheme, all strategic commodity exports would be required to pass through a single state-owned export entity, which would also be integrated with the country’s sovereign investment management agency, Danantara.
However, critics argue that consolidating state control over business from upstream to downstream comes at the wrong time, particularly as Indonesia’s economic fundamentals are under mounting pressure.
Economist Nailul Huda from the Center for Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) pointed to several weakening macroeconomic indicators, including the rupiah briefly falling to Rp17,800 against the US dollar and the decline of the Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG).
“This new idea of creating a special export SOE raises concerns over market distortion and the politicization of business,” Huda said during an online press conference on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
Huda described the proposal as a clear manifestation of excessive state capitalism.
“This is a form of state capitalism. The state is no longer acting merely as a regulator, but also as an operator,” he said.
Criticism has also focused on the possibility of repeating the failures of the New Order-era Clove Marketing and Buffer Agency (BPPC), which dominated Indonesia’s clove trade from the early 1990s and 1998. At the time, BPPC acted as the sole buyer and seller of cloves nationwide, effectively trapping farmers who were prohibited from selling their harvests elsewhere.
When cigarette manufacturers reduced production because they could not afford BPPC’s high prices, warehouses overflowed, absorption stalled, and farm-gate prices collapsed.
Huda warned against replicating that experience through the proposed Export SOE. If market monopolies return, he said, smallholder farmers and independent businesses would bear the greatest losses.
Echoing Huda’s concerns, Bustar Maitar, CEO of EcoNusa, stressed the importance of clean and non-partisan governance should the government proceed with the initiative. According to Bustar, Indonesia’s weakening macroeconomic conditions already reflect declining public trust in government policies.
“If this Export SOE is to move forward, it must be managed transparently, free from political interests, and not designed to benefit only certain groups,” Bustar said.
He also urged the government not to sacrifice small-scale farmers, particularly in Eastern Indonesia, where livelihoods depend heavily on plantation commodities. Bustar highlighted the imbalance between people’s commodities such as coconuts, cloves, and nutmeg — cultivated on relatively small plots — and large-scale corporate sectors like palm oil plantations and mining.
“Mining companies may suffer losses, but not to the extent experienced by independent smallholders,” Bustar said, warning of the unequal impacts of export policies.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Ashov Birry, Program Director of Trend Asia, argued that the government was moving too hastily toward establishing a single export gateway while fundamental transparency issues remain unresolved.
Indonesia, he noted, still ranks poorly on the Financial Secrecy Index and continues to face problems related to disclosure of strategic financial information, beneficial ownership transparency, and restricted access to land concession (HGU) data.
At the grassroots level, large-scale corporate economic activities frequently leave environmental burdens on local communities. Ashov cited mining regions plagued by water pollution, soil degradation, loss of productive land, and worsening public health conditions.
“There are still many fundamental problems the government must address before shifting focus to an Export SOE that will dominate export channels,” Ashov said.
He also criticized how the principle of natural resource efficiency has not been directed toward broader public interests, such as public transportation, but remains focused on narrower consumption patterns like private vehicles. Combined with the state’s growing fiscal pressures and easier access to financing, he warned that overexploitation of natural resources could further accelerate environmental destruction.
Warnings of Corruption and Democratic Backsliding
The situation is further aggravated by Indonesia’s declining Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) between 2009 and 2025. Huda warned that a super-powered institution like the proposed Export SOE would be highly vulnerable to corruption and business politicization due to weak legal systems, poor governance, and shrinking civic freedoms.
These concerns are reinforced by 2025 data from Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS), which recorded a troubling trend: Indonesians are becoming increasingly permissive toward corrupt practices in economic activities.
“From securing jobs through insider connections to corruption in public procurement,” Huda explained.
Civil society groups concluded that these developments reflect a serious erosion of democratic values and good governance. Without substantial corrections, they warned, the ambition to establish an Export SOE could ultimately undermine public trust, damage the investment climate, and deepen economic inequality across the country. (*)
Nuevaterra Mambor
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4) Indonesia Bidik to Take Over Papua Museum in Germany, Its Collection Reaches 1,700 Objects
27 Mei 2026, 12:05 | Editorial Team
JAKARTA - The Indonesian government has begun discussing the process of transferring the Papua Museum in Germany to Indonesia. The museum, located in the city of Gelnhausen, houses around 1,700 Papua cultural collections collected over the past decades by Werner Weiglein, a collector and observer of Indonesian culture from Germany.
Minister of Culture Fadli Zon received Werner Weiglein at the Ministry of Culture Office, Jakarta, Tuesday, May 26. The meeting discussed the process of transferring museum ownership as well as efforts to strengthen Indonesian cultural diplomacy abroad.
Fadli appreciated Werner's move to start digitizing the museum's collection. The collection is planned to be handed over to the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Culture.
According to Fadli, the collection has an important value to strengthen Indonesian cultural diplomacy at the international level.
The Ministry of Culture also plans to involve the Museum and Cultural Heritage Patron Council to oversee the process of transferring the museum. The government wants to discuss various options regarding the ownership and management status of the thousands of collections in the museum.
Werner started collecting cultural objects since the 1970s. In the 1980s, he actively traveled to a number of regions in Indonesia, including Papua and Sulawesi.
The Papua Museum which he manages in Gelnhausen has so far become a space for introducing Papua's ethnographic heritage to the international public. His collection is considered important for Indonesian cultural diplomacy abroad.
Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture Bambang Wibawarta said the museum grant process still requires a number of supporting documents.
According to Bambang, the Directorate General of State Assets or DJKN of the Ministry of Finance requires data related to the building area and official property documents of the museum before the appraisal process is carried out.
The document is needed as a material for examination before the publication of the assessment value of buildings and collections to be handed over to the Indonesian government.
The meeting was also attended by the Director General of Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cultural Cooperation Endah T.D. Retnoastuti and a number of other officials from the Ministry of Culture.
The Ministry of Culture said the transfer of the Papua Museum in Germany was part of an effort to strengthen cultural diplomacy and promote Indonesia's cultural wealth abroad.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
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5) ‘Planetary destruction on fast-forward’: witnessing the disappearance of Indonesia’s ‘eternity glaciers’
Researchers racing to document Oceania’s last tropical glaciers found the remaining ‘eternal snow’ in Indonesia’s West Papua region has lost almost all its ice
Ajit Niranjan Wed 27 May 2026 13.00 AEST
An expedition to document the end days of the last tropical glaciers in Oceania has revealed sombre footage of “planetary destruction on fast-forward”.
The once-mighty ice sheets on Puncak Jaya, a mountain surrounded by dense rainforests in West Papua, Indonesia, have survived beyond projections they would disappear by 2026 but have shrunk to a fraction of their original size.
The most significant of the two remaining glaciers, which are known locally as “eternal snow” and referred to in English as the “eternity glaciers”, has lost 95% of its area since 2002, the expedition found.
“The ice will be gone: it’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when,” said Klaus Thymann, a Danish explorer and the founder of Project Pressure, an environmental charity. “And ‘when’ is coming very, very soon.”
Tropical glaciers are mostly found in the Andes, but also exist in East Africa and Indonesia. They are rapidly losing mass as fossil fuel pollution heats the planet and melts the ice.
Thymann said “it might be weird to have an emotional reaction to an inanimate object” but documenting the loss of the eternity glaciers had left him tearful as he returned to camp after filming on a rare morning of clear skies.
“On a philosophical level, you take eternity – something that’s an abstract, human construct – and we are even now killing our own constructs,” he said. “It raises some very interesting questions, I think, around the little speck we are in geological time, and what amount of chaos we’ve managed to do in such little time.”
The remote Puncak Jaya mountain sits in the disputed territory on the island of New Guinea, where there have been decades of conflict and human rights abuses after Indonesia invaded the former Dutch colony in 1963. The last two major scientific expeditions to the glaciers took place in 1973 and 2011.
Accompanied by soldiers and mountain guides during a two-week expedition in November, the team conducted a photogrammetric survey using drones and satellite positioning systems to create a 3D model of the mountain. The near-incessant rain gave them few windows of opportunity with enough visibility to capture useful images.
“What’s very healthy about being in the mountains is that it makes you humble, because we can’t control the weather,” said Thymann. “But at the same time, as much as the weather controls what I can do in a mountain, the fact that humanity has changed the weather systems is also almost unfathomable.”
“You really understand that it is planetary destruction on fast-forward,” he added. “And that’s both very scary and sad.”
Papua’s tropical glaciers lost 97% of their ice mass between 1980 and 2024, Indonesian researchers found in a study published last month. Four of its six glaciers have completely disappeared, and they project the final two will be gone by the end of the decade.
“It is deeply saddening,” said Francine Hematang, a researcher at Papua University’s forestry faculty and the lead author of the study. “This is the only tropical glacier in Indonesia and south-east Asia, and it continues to shrink at an alarming rate.”
A separate study published in December used satellite imagery and digitised analogue maps to document a decrease of glacier surface area of more than 99% since 1850, and by about 65% since the last survey in 2018. It reached the same conclusion about the impending disappearance of the glaciers.
David Ibel, a researcher at Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg and the lead author of the study, said expeditions helped because satellite surveys were hindered by cloud cover, shadows formed by rugged topography, and the frequency with which satellites pass over areas of interest.
Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras – such as those used by Thymann – can use brief cloud-free windows to capture images and geo-reference them with extreme precision, he added.
Carbon pollution and the destruction of nature has heated the planet by about 1.4C since preindustrial times, making it less hospitable to human life. Glaciers are projected to lose a quarter of their global mass by 2100, even in a best-case scenario for cutting emissions, with devastating consequences for drinking water and food security.
As well as the environmental impacts, the loss for local communities was “indescribable”, said Ibel. “It is highly unlikely that the glaciers are going to reappear in the next hundreds of years, meaning an irretrievable loss for many generations to come. It can be only hoped that the disappearance of tropical glaciers underlines the urgency of action against anthropogenic climate change.”
The Puncak Jaya glaciers are located in one of Earth’s wettest regions and are strongly influenced by the warming El Niño weather pattern, which was particularly powerful in 2023-24 and is expected to return this year.
Thymann said a secondary aim of the expedition, for which Project Pressure partnered with geospatial technology companies Trimble and Pix4D, was to create a “visual Noah’s ark” before the glaciers disappeared entirely.
“Believe me, I would much rather there was ice than we had to resort to creating 3D models for future generations.”
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Tuesday, May 26, 2026
AWPA -West Papua Update No 3/2026
AWPA -West Papua Update No 3/202627 May 2026
A snapshot of events and by no means exhaustive
The human rights situation in West Papua continued to deteriorate with 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. Clashes have continued between the TPNPB and the Indonesian security forces, resulting in military operations in the territory. AWPA has written to Foreign Minister concerning the situation in West Papua. https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2026/05/awpa-statement-letter-to-foreign.html
The latest clash between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and the security forces occurred on the 20 May. The TPNPB said it had killed eight people who it claimed were Indonesian military intelligence officers although the Indonesian military denied they were military personal and claimed the victims were civilians. The incident occurred in the remote Yahukimo regency in Papua's Highlands province. In a statement the TPNPB claimed responsibility for the killings, saying the victims were military officers disguised as gold miners.
Drone attack
In another incident occurred on the morning of the 17 May, a drone attacked a Catholic church compound while parishioners were gathered in the courtyard of the St. Paulus Nabuni Catholic Church in Mbamogo village in the Intan Jaya Regency. According to Father Yanuarius Yance Yogi who is the parish priest at Bilogai, they had just finished Mass when suddenly an object (believed to be a grenade) fell from the sky and exploded. Four people received serious injuries and were identified as Petrus Pogau, Robert Nabelau, Pius Pogau, and Piter Nabelau. First aid was given at the church and the injured taking to hospital.
On the 5th May, graduating West Papuan students were attacked by Indonesian security forces because they were carrying their national flag, the Morning Star, in a parade to celebrate their achievement. The parade took place in Kobakma town, in Indonesian occupied West Papua’s Central Mamberamo Regency. The situation allegedly escalated after police tried to stop the celebration. The Indonesian security forces fired bullets and tear gas, injuring seven students……. https://www.greenleft.org.au/2026/1453/world/security-forces-attack-west-papuan-students-carrying-morning-star-flag-graduation
Below are recent reports and updates on the situation in the territory.
A new documentary film 'Pesta Babi (Pig Feast)' about the impacts of the deforestation in South Papua has been showing and continues to be seen in venues in our region and in particular in West Papua and Indonesia. It has been seen in about 1700 cinemas around Indonesia. A terrific documentary which deserves to be shown at every film festival.
Interview on ABC Pacific with the film director, Dandhy Dwi Laksono and producer Victor Mambor (Approximately 6 Min). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i6qFK71T00
There has been a number of crackdowns on some venues because of its controversial nature
The filmmaker Dandhy Laksono says the crackdown by authorities on his West Papua documentary in some parts of the country is a threat to democracy. The Pesta Babi documentary looks at the social and environmental impacts of land seizures for big agri-business ventures in Papua - and the Indonesian military's role in it. Since March, the film has had screenings in New Zealand and Australia, and is now showing in Indonesia, where it has sparked public interest - not just through its treatment of the subject, but because authorities are trying to ban it. From RNZ 'Threat to democracy': Indonesian filmmaker decries military crackdown on documentary (RNZ 26 May 2026). https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/pacific_west-papua/596376/threat-to-democracy-indonesian-filmmaker-decries-military-crackdown-on-documentary.
Two upcoming screenings
6:00pm Wednesday 03 June
6:00pm Wednesday 03 June
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4th June in Sydney
In Sydney on the 4 June
Pesta Babi(Pig Feast) – Colonialism in our time
Date
4th June 2026, 5:00pm – 8:00pm
In-person
Location. Level 1, 365 Sussex Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
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Papua Monitor Q1 2026: No de-escalation as military operations drive new displacement
Human Rights News, Reports / Indonesia, West Papua / 8 May 2026
This 11-page report lists cases and developments including human rights violations and their patterns; developments in the armed conflict and its impact on civilians; significant political shifts in Indonesia affecting West Papua; and international responses and initiatives.
Summary
Human rights
The human rights situation between January and March 2026 remains dire. The reporting period was characterised by a significant rise in documented cases of arbitrary detention and torture. There are two major patterns in this trend. First, HRM observed a significant rise in arbitrary detentions in conflict zones, particularly in the Dekai District of Yahukimo Regency. Yahukimo has already become the top hotspot of armed violence throughout 2025 with 35 armed clashes, and ten such incidents between January and March 2026. Security forces targeted indigenous Papuans, mostly young adults, including females and minors. Most of them were released the following day without being charged. Intensified patrols and raids further contribute to this trend, with security forces applying interrogation methods that violate Indonesian criminal procedure and human rights law……………………….
Full PDF report
https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/HRM-PMR-2026-02-Q1-2026-Papua-Monitor.pdf
Security forces crack down on peaceful rallies in West Papua
Susan Price April 29, 2026, Issue 1452, World
A peaceful rally in Jayapura, occupied West Papua, was attacked by Indonesian security forces, on April 27, according to the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA).
Community members, including students and youth rallied in Jayapura, Wamena and other regions to protest the deteriorating human rights situation in occupied West Papua, particularly in the Dogiyai regency.
Security forces killed at least six unarmed civilians, including two children, across several villages in Dogiyai regency between March 31 and April 2, allegedly in retaliation for the killing of a police officer by an unknown assailant.
While police initially allowed the march to take place in Jayapura, the demonstrators were blocked in front of the Denzipur Waena military compound by police and Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel.
https://www.greenleft.org.au/2026/1452/world/security-forces-crack-down-peaceful-rallies-west-papua
'They're wiping us out': Church leader warns about young West Papuans killed in escalating conflict
RNZ 16 May 2026. Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific senior journalist
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.
The displacement of Papuan villagers is also a factor, with the latest Internally Displaced Persons update from Human Rights Monitor group saying over 107,000 West Papuans remain displaced by armed conflict.
Tapol. 2025 West Papua Freedom of Expression and Assembly Full Report
07 May 2026
Prabowo has been in power as President of Indonesia since October 2024, and the marks of his regime have been increasingly felt across civil society. The atmosphere has turned colder, with greater power going to the security services, a tightening of laws that criminalise dissent, a return of New Order-esque policies, and a sense that the civil rights fought for during the period known as Reformasi are being eroded away.
TAPOL’s latest 2025 West Papua Freedom of Expression and Assembly Report saw the following major trends developing last year compared with 2024:
- More provinces were affected by incidents than in 2024.
- 24.2 per cent increase in intimidation and harassment incidents, including torture and killings.
- 14.3 per cent increase in incidents of arbitrary arrests.
https://tapol.org/publications/2025-west-papua-freedom-expression-and-assembly-full-report
Full PDF Report. https://tapol.org/sites/default/files/2025%20TAPOL%20West%20Papua%20Freedom%20of%20Expression%20and%20Assembly%20Report_0.pdf
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West Papua National Committee (KNPB) issues demands over alleged civilian casualties in Puncak Military Operation.
IN PACNEWS READING TIME: 4 MINS
APRIL 21, 2026 0 Author : Aida Ulim Editor : Nuevaterra Mambor
The Central Executive Board of the Komite Nasional Papua Barat (BPP-KNPB) delivered an official statement outlining its position on alleged military actions against civilians in Puncak Regency. The press conference was held in Waena, Jayapura City, Papua, on Monday (April 20, 2026). — Jubi/Aida Ulim
Jayapura, Jubi — The Central Executive Board of the Komite Nasional Papua Barat (BPP-KNPB) has issued a number of demands in response to a military operation conducted in several villages in Kembru District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua, on April 14, 2026.
The demands were conveyed during a press conference held in Waena, Jayapura City, Papua, on Monday (April 20, 2026).
According to BPP-KNPB, the operation in Kembru District resulted in civilian casualties. At least nine civilians were reported killed by gunfire, while five others sustained gunshot wounds. All of the victims were residents of Tenoti and Kumikomo villages in Kembru District.
Those reported killed were identified as Wundilina Kogoya (36), Kikungge Walia (55), Pelen Kogoya (65), Tigiagan Walia (76), Ekimira Kogoya (47), Daremet Telenggen (55), Inikiwewo Walia (52), Amer Walia (77), and a five-year-old child, Para Walia.
Meanwhile, those reported injured by gunfire were identified as Onde Walia (5), Aliko Walia (5), Nokia Kogoya (21), Anite Telenggen (17), and Daniton Tabuni.
BPP-KNPB strongly condemned the actions of Indonesian security forces, accusing the military and police (TNI–Polri) of carrying out bombings and armed attacks against unarmed civilians in Pogoma and Kembru districts, Puncak Regency, Central Papua.
The group called on the Indonesian government to take full responsibility for the deaths and injuries among civilians, as well as for the destruction of homes and community property resulting from the operation.....................
107,000 Internally Displaced in Papua amid escalating Humanitarian Crisis
Jubi. IN PACNEWS READING TIME: 2 MINS READ
APRIL 22, 2026 0 Author : Aida Ulim Editor : Nuevaterra Mambor
Jayapura, Indonesia, April 21 (Jubi) — The Papua Church Council said about 107,000 people have been internally displaced across Papua as of April 2026, driven by escalating violence and a worsening humanitarian crisis since late 2018.
The council said the situation has intensified in recent months, particularly between March and April, in highland areas such as Puncak and Dogiyai regencies.
Reverend Dorman Wanimbo said increased military operations have directly affected civilians, triggering mass displacement and disrupting access to basic services.
“In addition to causing casualties, the situation has disrupted education, economic activity and worship, while access to healthcare remains крайне limited,” he said in a
He added that displaced communities face shortages of food, healthcare and protection, worsened by the expansion of military activities into civilian areas including villages, churches, schools and markets.
He also added that the recent incidents in Pogama and Kembru districts in Puncak Regency,
Central Papua, reportedly resulted in civilian casualties following military operations conducted between April 12 and 15 involving ground and air forces..
The attacks damaged homes and caused civilian casualties, including deaths and injuries. Casualty figures could not be independently verified. Some reports said nine people were killed and five injured, while others put the toll at 15 dead and seven wounded.
“About seven villages were directly affected, and parts of the area remain difficult to access. Witnesses said the attacks occurred in areas previously considered civilian zones and places of refuge,” he said.
Indigenous pastor John Bunay said the council believes the situation is linked to state policies, including Presidential Instructions No. 9/2017 and No. 9/2020 on accelerating development in Papua and West Papua.
“A development approach combined with a security approach has deepened the humanitarian crisis and further marginalized Indigenous Papuans,” he said.
He cited previous studies by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences identifying the root causes of the conflict as racism, development failures, political tensions and weak accountability of security forces.
“However, a peaceful dialogue approach has yet to become a primary priority,” he said.
The council called for an immediate halt to military operations in civilian areas, greater protection for civilians and unrestricted humanitarian access for displaced communities. It also urged an independent investigation into alleged human rights violations and called for access for foreign journalists to report on Papua.
They also called for the importance of peaceful dialogue as the path to resolving the conflict, urging churches, civil society, and all stakeholders to unite in prayer and concrete action to safeguard the lives of Papuans currently facing a humanitarian crisis.
Because, the future of Papua can only be built on justice, humanity, and dignified peaceful dialogue—not violence. (*)
Hearing in Dutch Parliament on humanitarian situation in West Papua
April 22, 2026 in News
A Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on West Papua was held in the Dutch Parliament yesterday (21st April 2026).
Held in the Parliament of West Papua’s former coloniser, the hearing focused on the current situation in West Papua, the Indonesia–EU Free Trade Agreement, and the ongoing demand for a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua. Following the hearing, a screening of the film “The Promise” was held in the Parliamentary cinema room. This marks the first time that a film about West Papua has been shown in the Dutch Parliament.
The hearing, hosted by Christian Union MP Don Ceder, was addressed by ULMWP Interim President Benny Wenda, UK Labour MP and IPWP Chair Alex Sobel, ULMWP spokesperson Raki Ap, and Waida Vogel-Bwefor of the ZMP Foundation (working for self-determination for West Papuans and Moluccans).
Indonesia continues to refuse the UN access to West Papua despite mounting international pressure. 110 countries have demanded a UN visit, including all member states of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), the European Commission, and individual nations including the UK, Spain, the USA, and the Netherlands.
However, as Alex Sobel stated in his remarks at the hearing, the EU’s forthcoming Trade Agreement with Indonesia threatens to undermine this pressure. Along with Interim President Wenda, Mr Sobel urged EU member states to refuse to ratify the FTA until Indonesia accedes to the EU’s demand for a UN visit.
Demonstrations were held across West Papua in support of the meeting.
https://www.ulmwp.org/hearing-in-dutch-parliament-humanitarian-situation-west-papua
Shifting views on women highlight cultural change in Papua
IN PACNEWS READING TIME: 2 MINS READ APRIL 25, 2026 0 Author : Aida Ulim Editor : Nuevaterra Mambor
Jayapura, Jubi – Women’s rights activist Vero Hubi says there has been a noticeable shift in how women are perceived in Papua, a change she attributes to the erosion of customary values under external influences.
Hubi made the remarks during a public discussion titled “Women Rise Against National Strategic Projects (PSN) and Militarism”, organized by Suara Perempuan Papua Bersatu in Perumnas 3 Waena, Heram District, Jayapura City, on Thursday (April 23, 2026).
She said the changing perspective on women cannot be separated from broader transformations driven by the influence of the state, religion, and capitalism, which have reshaped traditional social structures.
“It is important to understand the realities experienced by Papuan women in recent years, including the increase in various forms of violence,” said Vero Hubi.
According to Hubi, before sustained contact with the outside world, Papuan customary systems had long governed relationships between men and women based on mutual respect and balance. And in the past, elders understood how to position men and women equally, with respect embedded in those relationships.
However, she noted that these values have gradually shifted. Practices such as bride price, which were traditionally understood as a form of respect and appreciation, are increasingly being misinterpreted as granting full ownership over women.
“This has reinforced discriminatory practices and restrictions against women,” she said.
Hubi said that within organizational spaces and political movements, women still face significant limitations, often being seen as unfit to lead or take on strategic roles.
“This is a form of oppression [against women] that is still ongoing. If we are all fighting against oppression, then women should not be restricted. We must move forward together,” she said.
She emphasized the importance of revisiting local values that uphold equality and humanity as a foundation for advancing women’s rights.
Meanwhile, legal advocate Novita Opki described the discussion as an important platform for amplifying women’s narratives within Papua’s political struggle.
She noted that women’s voices have long been marginalized in public discourse.
“This is an important space because it brings women’s perspectives into the political struggle,” Opki said.
According to her, the oppression of Papuan women has persisted since the period of Papua’s integration into Indonesia. Today, armed conflict, military operations, and development projects continue to have profound impacts on women’s lives, often triggering internal displacement.
She said Papuan women are frequently affected by conflict, both directly and indirectly.
“Trauma from violence, loss of homes, and limited access to basic needs remain realities faced by [Papuan women] to this day,” she said.
Opki also highlighted that investment and development projects often overlook the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), leading to the dispossession of Indigenous communities’ living spaces.
She added that the involvement of security forces in supporting such projects—through the framework of Military Operations Other Than War (OMSP)—has further entrenched militarization in Papua.
“Let us agree that the struggle of Papuan women is not only about resisting violence, but also about defending identity, living space, and fundamental rights,” she said.
The discussion is expected to serve as a starting point for broader dialogue and to strengthen solidarity in the fight for justice for Papuan women. (*)
Opinion pieces/reports/media releases etc.
West Papua violence escalates as calls grow to expel Indonesia from Pacific regional groups
West Papua: The unhealed wounds and sorrow run deep in Puncak
The Fiji Times FEATURE I A Pacific approach
https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/feature-i-a-pacific-approach/
AWPA- Security forces crackdown on peaceful rally in West Papua
https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2026/04/security-forces-crackdown-on-peaceful.html
AWPA-West Papuan graduation students attacked by Indonesian security forces simply because they carried their national flag
https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2026/05/media-statement-west-papuan-graduation.html
An acid test of Indonesia's democracy
Indonesia's human rights body investigates West Papuan deaths amid military operation
ASIA/INDONESIA - Violence in Papua, Catholics attacked in a church; over 100,000 civilians internally displaced
West Papuan event Blue Mountains event
https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2026/05/west-papuan-event-blue-mountains-event.html
PAPUA 2026 APRIL daftar sumber informasi (list of information sources)
https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2026/05/papua-2026-april-daftar-sumber.html
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