2) Three Papuans including one minor shot in Intan Jaya during Indonesian military operation at dawn
3) Indonesia, Australia destined to help each other: Prabowo
4) Press Release II of KOMNAS TPNPB Headquarters Management as of Thursday, May 15, 2025
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1) Indigenous West Papuans claim Indonesian government is 'land grabbing’
7:14 am today
West Papuans in Merauke claim the Indonesian government is stealing land to build its global "food barn" and feed its population of 280 million.
Indonesia denies this and says all transactions are lawful.
President Prabowo Subianto's administration wants Indonesia to be able to feed its population without imports as early as 2028, with the greater goal of exporting food.
Pacific Waves 14 May 2025.
Violence in West Papua most intense - researcher
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To get there, Indonesia plans to convert millions of hectares into farmland.
Wensi Fatubun, from Merauke in Indonesian-occupied Papua close to Papua New Guinea's border, said forests where he grew up are being cleared.
"[The] Indonesian government took the land for the [food] security project, it was not consulted or consented by Indigenous Papuan," Fatubun said.
Prabowo's goal is a continuation of his predecessors.
In 2020, President Joko Widodo announced the establishment of a national food estate project which aimed at opening up new areas of farmland outside Java Island.
It is similar to the failed Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate, spearheaded by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2010.
About 1.3 million hectares were set aside in Merauke for it: half for food crops, 30 percent sugar cane, and 20 percent for palm.
A report from the United States Department of Agriculture said it encountered resistance from locals and legal challenges.
"Approximately 90 percent of the targeted areas were forest, which provided a source of livelihood for many locals. Accordingly, the development plans became a flashpoint for local activists concerned about environmental and biodiversity impacts," the report said.
Probowo's government has the more ambitious goal of opening up three million hectares of agricultural land in Merauke - two million for rice and one million for sugarcane.
Human Rights Watch researcher Andreas Harsono said President Prabowo had elevated the "so-called food security issue".
"[The President] wants Merauke in West Papua to be the so called national food barn. This deforestation land grabbing is much more deeper in Merauke than in the past."
Harsono said conflict had escalated in West Papua and is now on par with some of the most violent periods in the past 60 years, but he was not sure if it is connected to the President's focus on food security.
BenarNews reported that about 2000 troops were deployed late last year in Merauke to provide security at a two-million-hectare food plantation.
Rosa Moiwend, from Merauke, said the soldiers work alongside farmers.
"They are expected to teach local farmers how to use mechanical agriculture equipment," Moiwend said.
"But as West Papuan people, the presence of the military in the middle of the community, watching communities activities, people's movement when they travel from one place to another, actually creates fear among the people in Merauke."
Like Harsono and Fatubun, Moiwend said "land grabs" are happening.
However, she said it still involves a land broker, which creates a facade of a fair procedure.
"Indigenous Merauke, indigenous Marind people like myself and my people, we do not sell land because land belongs to the community. It is communal land."
However, a spokesperson for Indonesia's Embassy in Wellington said all processes and steps involving land sales had been lawful "always respecting the inclinations of local tribes".
"Its development always involving local authorities, especially chief tribes for the consent of their ulayat (traditional land)," they said.
"There is no land grab without consent, and the government also working on the biodiversity conservation and forestry production to create space harmonisation model with Conservation International, Medco Group, and couple of other independent organisations.”
'They are stripping communities' - campaigner
West Papua Action Aotearoa spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said the region is part of the lungs of the Pacific, which is now being destroyed.
"The plan has been around for a long time but it seems to have escalated under Prabowo," Delahunty said.
"They are stripping those lands and stripping those communities who live there from their traditional foods such as the sago palm to turn the whole of Merauke into sugar cane, rice and palm plantations.
"The effects have been massive and they're just getting worse."
She said New Zealand and Australia - the two most powerful governments in the South Pacific - are failing in its obligations to the citizens of West Papua.
"You could almost justify, because it's a long way away from other parts of the world, that Europe and the northern hemisphere don't really understand West Papua but there's no excuse for us.
"These people are in our region but they're not white people. I think there's a huge element of racism towards Papuans and towards Pacific nations who aren't perceived as important in the western worldview."
She said there was willingness to trade and New Zealand did not want to rock the boat, with Indonesia as a regional powerhouse.
That coupled with a media blackout makes it easy for Indonesia to act with impunity, Delahunty said.
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https://humanrightsmonitor.org/news/three-papuans-including-one-minor-shot-in-intan-jaya-during-indonesian-military-operation-at-dawn/
2) Three Papuans including one minor shot in Intan Jaya during Indonesian military operation at dawn
A five-year-old boy and two adults have been wounded in shootings during an Indonesian military operation in Papua’s Intan Jaya regency, according to local human rights defenders.
The pre-dawn military sweep occurred on Tuesday, 13 May 2025, at approximately 4:00 AM across several villages in the Hatadipa District of Intan Jaya, Papua. Indonesian forces conducted operations in Ndugusiga Village, Jaindapa Village, and Old Sugapa Village.
During the operation, five-year-old Minus Yegeseni suffered a critical gunshot wound to his ear. A woman in her thirties, Jumite Zanambani, was shot in the hand and remains in a critical condition at her home.
The military operation reportedly triggered retaliatory action from the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). A firefight between the two forces erupted around 7:00 AM and continued until the evening. One TPNPB member was reportedly wounded and is currently under the care of the group.
Independent human rights defenders on the ground report that six civilians have gone missing in Hatadipa District following the Indonesian military operation and have yet to be located. Young Minus Yegeseni was transported by family members from Hatadipa District approximately 15km to Sugapa Regional Hospital in the early hours for emergency medical treatment. Meanwhile, Jumite Zanambani is receiving traditional medical care at the Hitadipa Classis House alongside other civilians injured during the operation.
The human rights defenders also reported that civilians from villages throughout Hatadipa District have fled to forests and to Sugapa city centre seeking safety following the dawn military operation. Exchanges of gunfire reportedly continued into the night, though the number of civilian casualties and losses on both sides remain unknown.
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3) Indonesia, Australia destined to help each other: Prabowo
May 15, 2025 18:09 GMT+700
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia and Australia are destined to be neighbors who help each other in difficult times, President Prabowo Subianto told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a meeting on Thursday.
"Therefore, I am determined to maintain the best relationship with our neighbors. And we are grateful that Australia views Indonesia as a close friend," Prabowo said in a joint press statement with Albanese at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, the same day.
He disclosed that PM Albanese was the first world leader to congratulate him after he was elected the 8th President of Indonesia last year.
Likewise, when Albanese won the Australian Parliamentary Election and was re-elected as the Prime Minister of Australia, Prabowo congratulated him over telephone.
"I also called him when I heard he won," the Indonesian said.
Besides being a close neighbor geographically, Australia is a strategic partner for Indonesia, he added.
Under the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), bilateral agreements have been reached in various sectors and people-to-people relations are improving, the President noted.
Meanwhile, PM Albanese emphasized that Indonesia is an irreplaceable partner for Australia.
He revealed that his government was inaugurated just one day before he left for Jakarta, which reflects the importance of Indonesia in Australia's foreign policy.
"Indonesia is an irreplaceable partner for Australia and our two nations have an unbreakable bond. I am honored to be able to visit Indonesia once again as my first bilateral visit after the general election," Albanese said.
He also highlighted the importance of economic cooperation and Indonesia's central role in ASEAN.
He expressed hope of expanding economic collaboration between the two countries in the rapidly growing Southeast Asian region.
Related news: Albanese's visit reaffirms Indonesia-Australia ties: Prabowo
Related news: Prabowo receives Australian PM Albanese at Merdeka Palace
Related news: Prabowo congratulates re-elected Albanese
"Therefore, I am determined to maintain the best relationship with our neighbors. And we are grateful that Australia views Indonesia as a close friend," Prabowo said in a joint press statement with Albanese at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, the same day.
He disclosed that PM Albanese was the first world leader to congratulate him after he was elected the 8th President of Indonesia last year.
Likewise, when Albanese won the Australian Parliamentary Election and was re-elected as the Prime Minister of Australia, Prabowo congratulated him over telephone.
"I also called him when I heard he won," the Indonesian said.
Besides being a close neighbor geographically, Australia is a strategic partner for Indonesia, he added.
Under the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), bilateral agreements have been reached in various sectors and people-to-people relations are improving, the President noted.
Meanwhile, PM Albanese emphasized that Indonesia is an irreplaceable partner for Australia.
He revealed that his government was inaugurated just one day before he left for Jakarta, which reflects the importance of Indonesia in Australia's foreign policy.
"Indonesia is an irreplaceable partner for Australia and our two nations have an unbreakable bond. I am honored to be able to visit Indonesia once again as my first bilateral visit after the general election," Albanese said.
He also highlighted the importance of economic cooperation and Indonesia's central role in ASEAN.
He expressed hope of expanding economic collaboration between the two countries in the rapidly growing Southeast Asian region.
Related news: Albanese's visit reaffirms Indonesia-Australia ties: Prabowo
Related news: Prabowo receives Australian PM Albanese at Merdeka Palace
Related news: Prabowo congratulates re-elected Albanese
Translator: Mentari Dwi Gayati, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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From Post on FB
4) Press Release II of KOMNAS TPNPB Headquarters Management as of Thursday, May 15, 2025
Indonesian Military Plants Bomb Traps on TPNPB Member's Bodies, During Body Evacuation, Bomb Explodes
Two TPNPB Members Die and Others Injured in Intan Jaya While Civilians Are Shot During Indonesian Military Operations
Press Release II of KOMNAS TPNPB Headquarters Management as of Thursday, May 15, 2025
Please Follow the Report Below.!
KOMNAS TPNPB Headquarters Management has received an official report from Brigadier General Undius Kogoya, TPNPB Commander Kodap VIII Intan Jaya on Thursday, May 15, 2025 that; There was armed contact between TPNPB troops and the Indonesian government military in Hitadipa District on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at around 05.00 am which resulted in a TPNPB member being killed on the battlefield and the victim's body being planted with bomb traps by Indonesian government military personnel, but this was not known by the TPNPB troops. After hearing that the TPNPB members had died, the TPNPB troops immediately evacuated the victims. During the evacuation, the bomb exploded, resulting in two TPNPB members being killed and two other members being injured by bomb fragments in Intan Jaya.
The following are the names of TPNPB members who were hit by bomb debris and died on the battlefield; Gus Kogoya, Notopinus Lawiya and Kanis Kogoya. Meanwhile, those who were lightly injured due to being hit by bomb fragments include; Tinus Wonda and Dnu-Dnu Seperti. Those who were injured are currently at the TPNPB headquarters to undergo medical treatment.
Before the armed contact on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at around 04.00 in the morning, there had been a brutal Indonesian Government Military operation in Titigi Village, Ndugusiga Village, Jaindapa Village, Sugapa Lama Village and Zanamba Village and carried out wild shootings in the early morning when civilians were still in deep sleep.
As a result of the military operation, Indonesian government military officers shot at one family including; Mrs. Junite Zanambani was shot in the right arm and her son Minus Yegeseni was shot in the ear. Meanwhile, Nopen Wandagau was shot in the hand and one other person was also shot and the shooting victims have been evacuated to a Klasis house in Hitadipa.
Meanwhile, the victims who were kidnapped at dawn by the Indonesian government military in Hitadipa District included; Mr. Elisa Wandagau (Shepherd), Ruben Wandagau (Head of Hitadipa Village) and a grandmother, Mono Tapamina, were all shot dead by the Indonesian government military after being kidnapped and their bodies were cremated in Hitadipa.
Civilian victims who were captured from the hands of the Indonesian Military in Janamba Village and fled from the Indonesian Military Post in Bilapa on Wednesday, May 14, 2024 at around 23.58 including; Peles Hondani and his wife, Misael Tabuni and his wife, Julianus Janambani and Daniel Hondani. The 6 civilians fled from the Indonesian Military Post in Bilapa because of a plan to execute them by the commander of the Bilapa post.
In this action, civilians in the Hitadipa District and Sugapa District have fled to the forest since May 13, 2025 to seek protection and avoid the very massive Indonesian military operations.
In relation to this, the Management of the KOMNAS TPNPB Headquarters appealed to President Prabowo Subianto and the TNI Commander to immediately stop the use of bombs on the bodies of TPNPB members to kill other members because it violates international humanitarian law on the battlefield. And also stop the shooting of liars against civilians, especially women and small children without any legal considerations and humanitarian law mechanisms.
The Management of the KOMNAS TPNPB Headquarters also appealed to the Regent of Intan Jaya, Aner Maiseni to immediately stop his activities to strengthen the Indonesian military defense in Intan Jaya, especially to remove all Indonesian military posts in civilian settlements from Sugapa to the Ilaga border.
Thus the Press Release II of the KOMNAS TPNPB Headquarters Management as of Thursday, May 15, 2025 by Sebby Sambom, Spokesperson for TPNPB OPM.
And thank you for the good cooperation.
National Responsible Person for the TPNPB-OPM National Command Headquarters Command.
General Goliath Tabuni
TPNPB-OPM High Commander
Lieutenant General Melchizedek Awom
TPNPB-OPM Deputy Commander
Major General Terianus Satto
TPNPB-OPM Chief of General Staff
Major General Lekagak Telenggen
TPNPB-OPM General Operations Commander
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