2) Papua Police Chief: Personnel Involved in Arms Sales with Separatist Group Must Be 'Shot Dead’
3) C24 will hold 2025 Pacific Regional Conference in Dili, Timor-Leste
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Since President Prabowo Subianto assumed office, concerns have surged regarding Indonesia’s accelerating militarisation, particularly with the expanding occupation of civilian government positions by active members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI). Prabowo s
tarted his new presidential term by taking his cabinet to a military bootcamp retreat in October 2024 (see photo on top, screeshot). This trend poses significant threats to Indonesia’s young democracy, highlighting a troubling revival of authoritarian tendencies reminiscent of the New Order Regime under former president Soeharto.
On 10 March 2025, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto disclosed a list of government institutions legally authorised to appoint active-duty TNI soldiers to civilian posts, based on Article 47 of Law No. 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI. These agencies include key strategic institutions such as the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Presidential Military Secretariat, State Intelligence Agency (BIN), National Cyber and Cipher Agency (BSSN), National Defense Organisation (Lemhannas & Wanhannas), National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), National Narcotics Agency (BNN), and even the Supreme Court.
This official acknowledgment coincides alarmingly with the recent revelation by senior researcher Al Araf from the Indonesian human rights organisation ‘Imparsial’, who highlighted that
approximately 2,500 active TNI soldiers currently occupy civilian positions in direct violation of the same TNI Law.Al Araf underlined the seriousness of these infringements, citing the controversial appointment of Major Teddy Indra Wijaya as Cabinet Secretary—later adjusted to Deputy Cabinet Secretary—as indicative of the deeper, systemic undermining of civilian bureaucracy and meritocracy.
The progressing militarisation under President Prabowo aligns with worrying legislative efforts to amend the TNI Law, ostensibly to remove restrictions on soldiers engaging in business activities. Many civil society watchdogs fear that the amendment is merely a pretext benefiting high-ranking officers seeking personal enrichment through business ventures, echoing practices prevalent during the authoritarian New Order era.
The erosion of democratic safeguards through the legitimisation of military intrusion into civilian governance threatens Indonesia’s democracy, jeopardises the integrity of civilian administration, weakens accountability, and reintroduces authoritarian risks. The achievements of the Reformation era are at stake. More than ever, civil society and democratic institutions in Indonesia have the heavy responsibility to remain vigilant and advocate for adherence to democratic principles, civilian supremacy, and accountability under national and international human rights standards.
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2) Papua Police Chief: Personnel Involved in Arms Sales with Separatist Group Must Be 'Shot Dead’
Reporter Nandito Putra March 12, 2025 | 11:47 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Papua Regional Police Chief Inspector General Patrige Rudolf Renwarin said that TNI-Polri (Indonesian military and police) members involved in illegal arms sales with Papua’s KKB could be sentenced to death. "TNI-Polri members who are found to be involved in the purchasing and selling of firearms with armed criminal groups must be shot dead,” Patrige said in a voice message received by Tempo on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
The death penalty, he said, is sanctioned under Article 1 of Emergency Law of 1951, which rules that those involved in supplying, delivering, possessing, or carrying firearms or explosives without authorization are subject to the death penalty, life imprisonment, or a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Arms trade with the West Papua National Liberation Army - Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM) also undermines the spirit of peace, he said. Such actions would backfire on the security forces deployed in the Papua region. "These ammunition and weapons sold to armed criminal group will be used to kill their colleagues, especially those in the Papua highlands,” he said.
Patrige did not deny the fact that some TNI-Polri members have defected and channeled weapons to the TPNPB-OPM, but he said the actions are not attributable to the military or police institutions.
It was previously reported that the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force uncovered an illegal firearms trafficking syndicate in Bojonegoro, East Java, linked to Yuni Enumbi who was arrested on Thursday last week.
He was apprehended while attempting to transport six firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition from Jayapura to Wamena. Enumbi is a former TNI soldier who was dismissed in 2022 for involvement in arms smuggling for the TPNPB-OPM.
Enumbi was arrested along with sixty-two rifles, four handguns, and 800 rounds of ammunition. In a press statement last Saturday, Patrige mentioned that the two rifles were manufactured by PT Pindad.
The police later retracted the statement and stated that the firearms carried by Enumbi were homemade and produced in Bojonegoro, East Java. Five people were involved in this assembly. They are TW, MH, MK, P, and AP.
Another suspect is Eko Sugiyono, who was arrested in Manokwari, West Papua. Eko was Yuni Enumbi's partner while serving in the Kausari Military Regional Command. He was also dismissed from military service in 2022 for involvement in weapon smuggling.
Therefore, a total of seven suspects are involved in this illegal arms smuggling network. "Five suspects are detained at the East Java Regional Police Headquarters, and two suspects, Yuni Enumbi and Eko Sugiyono, are detained at the Papua Regional Police Headquarters in Jayapura," said Faisal.
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Reacting to the announcement, Timor-Leste took the floor to thank the Chair, Members of the Bureau, Members of the Committee, and Observers, for the trust placed in Timor-Leste to host the 2025 Pacific Regional Seminar.
Timor-Leste is deeply honored for this gesture that not only recognizes its resilience and dedication to the principles of self-determination and decolonization but also reinforces the collaborative spirit that binds the community.
Timor-Leste stands ready to provide a nurturing and inspiring environment for the dialogue, reflection, and strategic planning that the seminar warrants, and to collaborate, support, and celebrate with everyone towards a future where decolonization is not just a goal but a lived reality for all.
Timor-Leste firmly believes that collective efforts can overcome the enduring challenges of decolonization, foster sustainable development, and ensure that every voice is both heard and respected.
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