TNI deploys troops using helicopters in Yuguru Village, Nduga, residents are scared and evacuated

A google translate. Original Bahasa link.

https://jubi.id/polhukam/2025/tni-kerahkan-pasukan-pakai-helikopter-di-kampung-yuguru-nduga-warga-ketakutan-dan-mengungsi/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIsZ4RleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHW1q0lzO4fQE9_6rbtVcFel29y0OnkcivuF-D_pyLobdCBmh9GItQXeAzQ_aem_mEJF6WrL6siQgxJ-fe6GIA

TNI deploys troops using helicopters in Yuguru Village, Nduga, residents are scared and evacuated

Syam Terrajana

Last updated: February 26, 2025 8:09 pm

Author: Admin Jubi

Editor: Syam Terrajana

               Screenshot of a helicopter about to take off in an amateur video sent to the Jubi editorial team. Ist

Sentani, Jubi – The TNI deployed military troops using helicopters on Mount Nalkuru in Yuguru Village, Mebarok District, Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains Province. The large-scale troop deployment was recorded to have occurred since January 18, 2025. Residents were afraid and fled.

“Mount Nalkuru is not far from Yuguru airport, but after descending from Mount Nalkuru, the 23 helicopters, the troops that were deployed headed to Yuguru airport on foot,” said a Jubi source, who asked not to be named via an application message, Monday (24/2/2025).

He admitted to seeing and counting the number of helicopters flying around Nduga around the village. He sent a video recording of the helicopters flying around the village.

According to him, on their way, the military forces detained a resident named Etina Wandikbo and her five children. The TNI forces ordered Etina's mother and all her children to leave the house while pointing their guns at them and asking about the whereabouts of a number of names.

"Do you know Ibet, do you know the Yuguru Sablik Karunggu class, and do you know Yordan Nyamuk Karunggu? After that, the TNI forces took the Bible belonging to the late Pastor Nonmaksu Kogoya and ordered it to be translated into Indonesian. However, Etina and her children did not read the Bible, so the Indonesian military laughed at them," he said while imitating the conversation.

He said that currently the Yuguru airfield is being used as a TNI military post called 'Tim Taipur Titik Kuat Yuguru'. Led by three commands. The military post center is in the Mebarok District office, Yuguru village, Nduga district. Then it is divided again into five Indonesian military post points in the Yuguru area.

"The first TNI post is in Wisigi, the border between Mebarok District and Paro District. The second TNI post is on Mount Karowa, the border between Mebarok District and Mapenduma District. The third TNI post is on Mount Esa, the border between Mebarok District and Mugi District. The fourth TNI post is on Mount Paul and the fifth TNI post is called Tim Taipur Titik Kuat in Yuguru. So Yuguru is currently in the confinement of Indonesian militarism," he said.

He also revealed that there were residents' houses that were evicted by the Indonesian military. Namely the house of the village head of Ngenamba Letus Karunggu, one Health Center, the house of Elianus Gwijangge, the village head of Lumurak, the house of Elipus Gwijangge, the village head of Yuguru, the house of Rutni Wandikbo, the house of Etina Wandikbo was burned.

"The military used the SD Negeri 1 Yuguru school building as a guard post and the Mebarok District Office and the house of the late Pastor Nonmaksu Kogoya was used as a house for the Indonesian military without permission," he said.

In addition, 10 pigs owned by Etina Wandikbo were killed by the Indonesian military. The belongings of the heads of Yuguru Village and Yuguru residents that were also confiscated included a chainsaw, a drum of gasoline, 120 zinc leaves, pillows and all household equipment confiscated by the Indonesian military belonging to the Head of Ngenamba Village, Letus Karunggu.

Then the house belonging to the head of Lumurak Village, Elianus Gwijangge was also dismantled, a chainsaw, plywood and household equipment were confiscated by the Indonesian military.

"Likewise, the belongings of school children and residents were confiscated by the military, including books, blackboards, machetes, axes, arrows, air rifles and all the confiscated items belonging to residents were loaded onto a helicopter and then taken to Timika," he said.

As a result of the military presence, residents in nine villages were empty. They fled to the forests, namely Unggutmu Village, Kerambuwanit, Yimiri 1 and Yimiri 2, Nunggupuksarak, Kuib, Tunggirid, Osabiem and Gereja Borom village.

He said that residents of the nine villages are still in the forest. They are afraid of gunfire, the roar of helicopters and are afraid of the presence of the Indonesian military called the Indonesian Taipur Post in Yuguru.

"The area where the war between the TPNPB and the TNI/POLRI is Kenyam to Habema, so the Indonesian military should be placed there. Yuguru Village is a place for civilians, not a place for military operations," he said.

One of the Yuguru residents confirmed that the incident and the dropping took place in Yuguru Village. He explained that the presence of the Taipur Post (Indonesian Military) made many residents afraid, traumatized and also psychologically disturbed. Because previously residents had never seen the TNI in large numbers with complete war equipment.

"We have never seen a helicopter come down, but today we saw helicopters starting from January 18, 2025, 23 helicopters carrying many soldiers and complete war equipment. In one day, 4-5 helicopters came to Yuguru. This means that every day TNI military helicopters come continuously to the Yuguru area," he said.

He said that residents' belongings were also checked by the TNI military at gunpoint. His party was also forced to say "NKRI Harga mati", "Yuguru Indonesia".

Yuguru is not a war zone

Secretary of the Gospel Tabernacle Church Classis in the Land of Papua or KINGMI Yuguru, Nopinans Kogoya said that the Yuguru village became the entry point for negotiations through the church to the TPNPB, especially during the arrest of the New Zealand pilot, Captain Philip Mark Mehrtens in Paro District on February 7, 2023 by the leader Egianus Kogoya, until finally the pilot was released.

"We, the church, also contributed to the humanitarian mission and negotiations until the pilot was released. because the Yuguru village became the entry point for negotiations in the pilot's release through the church. The purpose of releasing the pilot was so that residents in Yuguru could live safely and comfortably in their village," Nopinans told Jubi via telephone call, Tuesday (25/2/2025).

Nopinans explained that the residents of the village in Yuguru wanted to live in peace, security and calm. As usual, the presence and deployment of the military greatly disrupted the comfort of the community. Moreover, the military was deployed in large numbers.

"But why did 23 helicopters land in Yuguru on February 18, 2025, so that until now the military has controlled the Yuguru village?" he said.

His party asked President Prabowo Subianto and the central leadership to withdraw the military who were dropped into the Yuguru village. He said that the Yuguru village was not a martial law, Yuguru was still safe.

"We, the church, ask President Prabowo and the high-ranking TNI leaders to withdraw their members. Because the people in Yuguru don't know anything, they only hunt, garden, that's all, so with the presence of the TNI they are very afraid and traumatized," said Nopinans.

The Commander of the Yuguru Battalion Field Operations, the West Papua National Liberation Army or TPNPB, Soasoa, stated that the Yuguru area was not a war zone between the TPNPB and the TNI/Polri. He emphasized that Yuguru was a place for refugees from Nduga residents in 12 districts. Therefore, the Indonesian Military's deployment in Yuguru is a violation of International Humanitarian Law

"Because they (TNI/Polri) occupied hospitals, health centers, school buildings, evicted village heads' houses and confiscated residents' belongings. The Mebarok district office was used as a place for the Indonesian military. This is a violation of human rights and International Humanitarian Law," said Soasoa.

Jubi attempted to confirm this with the Head of Information for the Joint Regional Defense Command or Kapen Kogabwilhan III Colonel Inf Winaryo on Wednesday (26/2/2025). However, until this news was published, Jubi had not received a reply. (*)

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