Indonesian security forces vowed to keep hunting for rebels who seek to establish an independent state in the restive region of Papua after government forces killed five suspected insurgents over the weekend.
The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), an insurgent group, promised retaliation as it accused state forces of killing the fighters while they were asleep.
The bodies of the five rebels were retrieved Monday by a joint force of military and police units after an alleged gunfight two days earlier in Pegunungan Bintang, a regency in Papua Highland province, police spokesman Ignatius Benny Ady Prabowo said.
“The military and police will intensify their pursuit of the armed criminal group that always disturbs the public and disrupts the security situation,” Benny said in a statement.
One of those killed Saturday was identified as Otobius Bidana Mimin, 38, a local rebel commander wanted by authorities for allegedly taking part in a deadly attack on a civilian facility two years ago, said Bayu Suseno, spokesman for the Joint Task Force for Peaceful Cartenz. The military and police unit operates in Papua.
“We are still hunting down other members of the armed criminal group,” Bayu told BenarNews.
The TPNPB is the armed wing of a separatist movement that has been fighting for independence from Indonesia since the 1960s.
It has been active in several areas of Papua, especially in the central highlands, where it attacked security forces and civilians accused of spying for the government.
The group’s spokesman, Sebby Sambom, said the five rebels were killed despite showing no resistance and that the raid was a collaboration between the military and native informants.
“TPNPB will retaliate because the five members were not resisting, but were surrounded while sleeping and killed,” he told BenarNews via WhatsApp.
The rebels were in a house in Modusit village when the military and police surrounded and attacked with snipers and other troops, Sambom said.
“The bodies of the fallen TPNPB members were mutilated like animals,” he alleged.
Sambom’s group grabbed headlines after a unit in Nduga regency abducted a New Zealand pilot working for an Indonesian domestic airline on Feb. 7.
The spokesman declined to give details about the pilot, noting the New Zealand government had not been willing to negotiate with his group.
In August, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins urged the rebels to release the pilot, Philip Mehrtens, immediately.
Benny, the police spokesman, said officials have been informed that Mehrtens was alive and well.
The Papua region has a history of documented and alleged human rights violations by Indonesian security forces and police, while separatist rebels have been accused of committing violence against civilians.
In 1963, Indonesian forces invaded Papua, a former Dutch colony like Indonesia, and annexed it.
In 1969, the United Nations sponsored a referendum where only about 1,000 people voted.
Despite accusations that the vote was a farce, the U.N. recognized the outcome, effectively endorsing Indonesia’s control over Papua.
Violence has surged in recent years after rebels killed at least 19 road workers in 2018.
Theo Hesegem, director of the Papua Justice and Human Integrity Foundation, expressed concern about the renewed cycle of violence and called for dialogue between security forces and rebels through a neutral third party.
“We don’t want more bloodshed to happen,” he told BenarNews. “We want Papua to be safe and for people to live peacefully.”
Nazarudin Latif in Jakarta contributed to the report.
Wamena, Jubi – Due to heavy rains in Wamena City since the beginning of September 2023, the Baliem River has overflowed, resulting in the flooding of multiple houses, numerous yam and vegetable gardens, as well as several fish ponds and rice fields belonging to residents in five villages within Maima District, Jayawijaya Regency. This catastrophe has compelled people to evacuate their homes, and their agricultural endeavors have suffered.
A resident of Maima District, Onoy Lokobal, attributed the flooding to the persistent heavy rainfall and the subsequent overflow of the Baliem River into residential areas. Approximately eight houses and several others along the banks of the Baliem River were inundated.
Lokobal specified that among the seven villages in Maima District, five were affected by the flood, namely Huseba, Minimo, Menagaima, Kepi, and Maima.
Over the past few weeks, the community has been surviving with their food supplies. However, they are growing increasingly concerned as their food stocks run out in the coming weeks.
“Vegetables such as chili peppers, onions, and basil have all rotted. Only the sweet potato plants remain resilient, and the women have started harvesting them prematurely as they cannot endure for long,” Lokobal noted.
Furthermore, Lokobal mentioned that the flood swept away the fish in Huseba and Menagaima villages, and the rice crops, which were ready for harvest, were also damaged.
In this trying situation, Lokobal hopes for a strong response and attention from the Provincial Government of Mountanious Papua, as well as the Jayawijaya Regency Administration.
“After this flood, the community will face food shortages. Hence, it is crucial for the government to provide special assistance,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, a local garden owner, Itha Mulait, revealed that her sweet potato plants had not yet reached maturity but had to be harvested prematurely.
“If we delay the harvest, they will rot. The vegetable crops have already rotted, and there is nothing left to harvest,” she lamented.
“We experience flooding from the overflowing Baliem River nearly every year, sometimes even twice in a year. We have become accustomed to crop failures, both with sweet potatoes and vegetables,” she went on.
Mulait explained that despite being aware of the yearly flooding risks, the community continues to cultivate along the Baliem River banks because of the exceptionally fertile soil and the satisfying yields.
“Like it or not, we choose to remain here. If a flood occurs at any time, it’s a risk we accept,” she concluded. (*)
Sentani, Jubi – The road conditions in Sentani City, Sentani District, Jayapura Regency, particularly at the junction leading to the Pasar Baru entrance beside the Metta Star Sentani Hotel, become a source of worry whenever it rains. The issue at hand is that water quickly inundates the road, leading to extensive traffic jams.
Upon Jubi’s observation in the field, it was evident that traffic from both directions on the road moved at a sluggish pace. The queue of vehicles from Kemiri toward Sentani City extended as far as the SMP N 2 Sentani road. Meanwhile, the line of vehicles from Sentani toward the Pasar Baru junction reached the front of the 751 Raiders road.
“Despite the rain falling only around 4:30 p.m. Papua time, the drainage water overflowed onto the highway, reaching the height of an adult calf,” Yanto, a resident of BTN Social Sentani reported on Monday, October 2, 2023.
These incidents appear to be recurring. Even though the drainage is regularly cleaned, the water pressure from higher elevations remains formidable, and the water volume is substantial.
“This water originates from BTN Social and also the Taruna housing located at the base of Mount Cyclops,” he explained.
Rishayudin, a kiosk owner at the Social Street junction, shared that his kiosk is frequently inundated with water overflowing from the drainage.
“Despite our efforts to install barriers at the front, water still manages to penetrate the kiosk,” he said.
Meanwhile, Xaverius Manangsang, the head of the Environment Division at the Jayapura Environment Office, pointed out that the drainage outlet directly onto the road was problematic. According to him, the road-side drainage should have an outlet leading to a larger river.
“The drainage is essentially flat, lacking an outlet route. Consequently, water flowing from higher altitudes to the road-side drainage becomes trapped like a holding pond. When it fills up, it spills onto the road,” he explained.
Manangsang also noted that his team routinely clears debris from the drainage, reducing the amount of water overflowing onto the road. “When the drainage is clean, there is significantly less water spilling onto the road, unlike a few days ago when the drainage was clogged, leading to extensive flooding on the road,” he added. (*)
Jubi News in Jayapura
Director Latifah Anum Siregar of the Democracy Alliance for Papua (ALDP) has emphasised the importance of raising awareness about human rights violations in Papua during a discussion at the launch of five Jubi Documentary films.
The event took place at the St. Nicholaus Ambassador of Peace Study House in Jayapura City last Wednesday.
Jubi Documentary released five new films about Papua at the end of last month — When the Microphone Turns On; Pepera 1969: Democratic Integration?; Black Pearl of the Field General; My Name is Pengungsi; and Voices from the Grime Valley.
They were launched in three cities at once in Jayapura, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta.
Siregar said these documentaries were not meant for mere entertainment but should serve as a platform for everyone, especially young students, to speak out against human rights violations in Papua.
Former football giant Persipura captain Fernando Fairyo, who was also present at the launch event, said how emotionally impactful the documentary Black Pearl of the Field General was for him.
He shed tears while watching the film, which highlighted the history of Persipura’s journey and invoked mixed emotions of joy and sadness.
Creative funding search
Fairyo said there was a need for Persipura to focus on strengthening the team, and he urged creative management to find funds beyond sponsorship from PT Freeport Indonesia and Bank Papua.
The five documentaries were produced over two years by Jubi Documentary, a branch of Jubi media based in Jayapura City. These films share a common theme of humanity and the repercussions of human rights violations in Papua.
Watchdoc, an audio-visual production house founded by Andhy Panca Kurniawan and Dandhy Dwi Laksono in 2009, supervised the production of the films.
Watchdoc is renowned for its social justice-themed documentaries and received the 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Award in the “Emergent Leadership” category.
Voices from the Grime Valley, directed by Angela Flassy, explores the social consequences of forest clearing for oil palm plantations in Keerom Regency and Jayapura Regency, both located in Papua Province.
Black Pearl of the Field General, directed by Maurids Yansip, narrates the story of the Persipura football team as a symbol of pride and identity for Papuans, its achievements, and its current struggle to regain a spot in League 1.
The launch event included discussions with the filmmakers and experts, providing a platform for in-depth exploration of the documentary topics.
Republished from Jubi with permission.
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