4 November 2025
The human rights situation in West Papua continues to deteriorate with regular clashes between the TPNPB and the Indonesian security forces. On the 15 October 2025, 15 people were killed in a security force operation in Soanggama Village in the Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua. During the military operation the security forces conducted house to house searches and opened fire in an indiscriminate fashion resulting in 15 deaths. According to community sources soldiers buried most of the bodies with some still to be found. Local people fled in fear of their lives. In this case up to 145 residents fled from Soanggama, Janamba, and Kulapa According to Human Rights Monitor there are now more than 102,966. Internally displacement people in the terrority. Local and international human rights organisations, church groups etc. condemned the massacre. .......
In a statement the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) declared the situation in Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua, a military and humanitarian emergency.
The statement was made by KNPB spokesperson Ogram Wanimbo in response to the shooting of 12 civilians in Intan Jaya on October 15, 2025, and the various military operations that are said to be continuing in the region for the purpose of securing the Wabu Block. "The security emergency situation resulting from the armed conflict between the TPNPB (West Papua National Liberation Army) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) has resulted in the displacement of civilians in villages in Intan Jaya, who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, protection, and safety guarantees," Ogram Wanimbo said in a written press release on Thursday evening (October 30, 2025).
He said, KNPB urged and demanded the Indonesian Government, international humanitarian institutions, and international advocacy bodies to conduct an investigation into the humanitarian tragedy "Bloody Soanggama”. (Jubi 30 October 25).
Latest Human Rights Monitor Update.
IDP Update October 2025: Military campaign disrupts civilian life and services while causing new displacements
Human Rights News, Reports / 28 October 2025
Between September and October 2025, West Papua experienced widespread internal displacement affecting more than 102,966 civilians across multiple regencies due to military operations and armed conflict (see table below). The vast majority of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are indigenous Papuans. The most severe crises occurred in Intan Jaya, where successive military operations in September displaced entire villages. A particularly deadly operation in Soanggama on 15 October killed 15 people and displaced 145 residents to Hitadipa. Simultaneously, Teluk Bintuni saw 238 people flee to the forests following armed clashes on 11 October. Approximately 2,000-2,300 residents fled their homes in Lanny Jaya after a military helicopter operation on 5 October disrupted a church service. Paniai experienced the displacement of 1,130 people after security forces occupied a community health center, and Yalimo saw over 600 residents, including teachers and civil servants, flee to Wamena in September 2025 due to civil unrest in the town of Elelim.
The humanitarian conditions across all displacement sites were uniformly dire, characterized by acute shortages of food, medicine, clean water, and shelter. IDPs sheltering in forests faced particularly harsh conditions with minimal humanitarian access, while those in evacuation camps struggled with severe overcrowding, inadequate resources, and the complete cessation of daily activities. The situation is further complicated by communication difficulties, restricted humanitarian access due to security force controls, and the presence of vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, and elderly persons without specialized support services.
Military occupation of civilian infrastructure, including schools, churches, and health centers, not only triggered initial displacement but also prevented returns and disrupted essential services. This pattern continues to recur in the context of armed conflict in West Papua, despite heavy criticism from national human rights observers. In February 2025, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) condemned the use of public facilities such as schools, district offices, and churches as security posts by the Indonesian military (TNI) and police in West Papua, stating that it constitutes a human rights violation.
This crisis reveals a systematic pattern of military operations that disproportionately affect civilian populations and violate principles of distinction between combatants and non-combatants. The long-term nature of these displacements, with some populations like those in Pegunungan Bintang displaced since 2021 and over 10,000 Nduga IDPs living in Jayawijaya since December 2019, indicates an entrenched humanitarian emergency requiring sustained attention. The IDPs refuse to return until military forces withdraw from their villages.............
Full Update
TNI Hunts Papua Rebels Behind Deadly Ambush in Teluk Bintuni
Antara October 13, 2025 | 4:43 pm
West Papua. The Indonesian Military’s (TNI) Regional Command XVIII/Kasuari is pursuing five suspected members of the West Papua National Liberation Army–Free Papua Organization (TPNPB–OPM) who allegedly ambushed a group of soldiers in Teluk Bintuni, West Papua, killing one serviceman over the weekend.
Brigadier General Dian Hardiana, Chief of Staff of the regional command, confirmed that Private First Class Amin Nurohman from Infantry Battalion 410/Alugoro was killed in the attack, which took place on Saturday.
“The five suspects have been identified as Manfred, Emanuel Aimau, Barnabas Muuk, Frengky Orocomna, and Simon Orocomna,” Dian said in Manokwari on Monday, as quoted by Antara News Agency.
The assault occurred when soldiers from the Alugoro Task Force were visiting residents in Moyeba Village, Moskona Utara District, as part of a community outreach program. During the incident, the rebels reportedly seized Praka Amin’s firearm.
“There will be no additional troop deployment in Bintuni. All actions will be carried out in accordance with standard operational procedures,” Dian said.
The military command has tightened security in the area and is coordinating with local law enforcement to stabilize the situation around Moyeba Village.
The body of Amin Nurohman was evacuated from Teluk Bintuni and flown Monday morning from Rendani Airport in Manokwari to his hometown of Kebumen, Central Java, for burial.
Lieutenant Colonel J. Daniel P. Manalu, head of public relations at the regional command, said the attack adds to the growing list of violent acts committed by separatist groups against security personnel and civilians in Papua.
In June 2025, two construction workers building a rural church were killed by suspected rebels in Jayawijaya. A month earlier, two police officers were shot dead in an ambush in Puncak Jaya Regency, allegedly carried out by a separatist group led by Ternus Enumbi, another known OPM figure.
Violence in Papua has escalated sharply in recent months. In April, 11 gold miners were massacred in Yahukimo Regency, followed by a separate shooting that left one female teacher dead and six others injured.
Treaty awakens old fears over Papua
DONALD GREENLEES.
Soon after East Timor voted for independence, the Indonesian news magazine Gatra ran a provocative cover article on the threat posed by Australia, illustrated by a graphic showing arrows arcing up from the Northern Territory into Indonesian Papua. It played on a popular mood at the time: that Australia, having secured East Timorese independence, next had designs on Papua. A low-level insurgency in support of independence had persisted in Papua since Indonesia won sovereignty in a controversial and flawed act of “self-determination” in 1969.
While observers in Australia might regard such suspicions as fanciful, they are more widespread, and deeply held, even among those in positions of high authority, than might be imagined. Indonesia has a long and historically justified anxiety about foreign interference, sometimes verging on neurosis. The old suspicions flared when Australia agreed to host a rotational US Marine attachment in Darwin in 2011; they arose again on October 6 when Australia signed a defence treaty with Papua New Guinea that committed the two sides to come to each other’s aid in the event of an armed attack “in accordance with (their) constitutional processes”.
The strategic purpose of the “Pukpuk Treaty” unmistakably is to secure Australian interests in the Pacific in the face of growing worries about Chinese activity in the region. Most Indonesian foreign policy and defence planners understand that – they share the concerns. So far, the public statements from Jakarta have been diplomatic and relatively muted. The Foreign Ministry said Australia and PNG should respect Indonesia’s sovereignty, while noting the rights of other countries to enhance their defence.
But Indonesia is nervous about Papua. Its efforts to turn indigenous Papuans away from aspirations for independence have largely failed. Its reliance on a combination of economic inducements, the subdivision of Papua into new provinces (there are six), and periodic crackdowns on armed insurgents and their civilian supporters have done little to change the preferences of the indigenous Melanesian population. Figures issued in March by the Central Statistics Agency showed poverty actually has increased in the Papua region, one of only two regions of Indonesia where this occurred. Parts of the highlands have the highest poverty rate in the country at 30 per cent, based on a complex province-by-province formula that determines the minimum amount of money required to meet both food and non-food basic needs.
One retired senior army officer, who has worked on strategic planning for the armed forces (TNI), said realists in the government accepted that only 10 to 20 per cent of the indigenous population supported integration with Indonesia. Still, after decades of internal migration, it is generally accepted the non-indigenous population is more than 50 per cent, meaning there is little likelihood of the Papuan provinces following the example of East Timor. Moreover, the officer said the TNI estimated the number of insurgents under arms at no more than 200.
Indonesia’s perception of vulnerability in Papua often prevails over this reality. In 2017, the then TNI commander, General Gatot Nurmantyo, briefly suspended military co-operation with Australia after he received complaints from an Indonesian officer over certain “offensive” materials he saw at the Special Air Service Regiment in Western Australia, which reportedly included some on Papua. The reaction of many senior officers to the signing of the Pukpuk Treaty reflects this historic sensitivity. One well-connected political observer reported several conversations with senior officers from all branches of the TNI in which the treaty was depicted as further evidence of Australian strategic assertiveness, conflating with earlier efforts to deepen the alliance with the US, such as the Darwin deployment. These officers spoke of the need to bolster the army presence along the PNG-Indonesia border. The political observer said a team was being set up within the Ministry of Defence to assess the implications of the Pukpuk Treaty for Indonesia.
The status of Papua, and Indonesia’s conduct there, will persist as one of the biggest potential flashpoints in bilateral relations. Every Indonesian government has its Papua strategy; President Prabowo Subianto’s is taking shape. So far, there is little to suggest it will be very different from that of his predecessor, Joko Widodo, or that it will be any more successful in improving the lot of Papuans. According to a prominent Papuan observer, who has discussed the President’s plans with various officials in the government, Prabowo wants to spread metals industry development to the Papuan provinces to take advantage of its immense natural resource wealth. He has spoken of establishing several Special Economic Zones in eastern Indonesia. In Papua, the new industrial zones would be powered by green energy by tapping the Mamberamo and Urumuka rivers – a plan Widodo mooted but failed to deliver. The government has been pressing US copper and gold giant Freeport, operator of the Grasberg mine in Central Papua Province, to build another copper smelter in the region, despite the extremely tough global market conditions for these smelters.
To support his Papua strategy, Prabowo recently set up the Executive Committee for the Acceleration of Papua Development, which will report to Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Widodo’s son. The development ambitions might be laudable, but there are valid doubts about who benefits. Powerful Jakarta political-business-military elites have long coveted and prospered from Papuan wealth. For example, Prabowo, as defence minister, launched a plan to develop one million hectares as a food estate in Merauke regency of South Papua. He appointed the South Kalimantan businessman Andi Syamsudin Arsyad, widely known as Haji Isam, to run the project. Critics say it has damaged the environment and done little to improve the welfare of local people.
Prabowo advisers say the President understands the limitations of investment in industry and infrastructure in improving people’s welfare. Consistent with his school programs, Prabowo reportedly wants to place more emphasis on access to services and human development in Papua than in the past. They say he also intends to crack down on misuse of special autonomy funds by corrupt local officials. The other dimension of Prabowo’s Papua strategy will be an increased security presence. Alongside an increase in the number of provinces is a planned increase in regional military commands and troops. This likely places the Prabowo strategy squarely in the tradition of his predecessors. He is set to rely on economic incentives and security deterrence to quell separatist sentiment. Such a strategy ignores the reality that many of the Papuan grievances are political and are unlikely to be solved by simply avoiding them.
It stretches credulity that in the current geopolitical environment, the issue of Papuan sovereignty might be reopened or that an independence campaign could be successfully pursued given the “facts on the ground”. But a more enlightened approach to how the region is ruled would benefit Indonesia’s global standing and remove a potential irritant in relations with Australia.
Donald Greenlees is a senior adviser to Asialink, the University of Melbourne.
Fifteen people, mostly children, missing after floods in Papua
The Jakarta Post. Reuters Jakarta Mon, November 3, 2025
Thirteen of the victims were children aged between eight and 17 years old, Adj. Sr. Comr. Alfredo Agustinus Rumbiak, the police chief of the remote Nduga region, told Reuters.
At least 15 people, mostly children, are missing and are likely to be dead after floods and landslides hit Papua after torrential rain, a local official said on Monday. Thirteen of the victims were children aged between eight and 17 years old, Adj. Sr. Comr. Alfredo Agustinus Rumbiak, the police chief of the remote Nduga region, told Reuters. The children were heading home after playing volleyball and had attempted to cross a river when the floods happened, he said.
They initially took refuge on some big rocks, but the current was too strong and they were swept away. Also, some rocks fell and buried them, Alfredo said. Residents, police and military personnel, as well as the local disaster mitigation agency are continuing to search for the victims, Alfredo said, but their efforts are being hampered by the difficult, mountainous terrain. Authorities need a helicopter to get to the location, or face an eight-hour trek from the nearest town, he said.
The rescue is also being complicated by the fact the area is categorised as a "red zone" in security terms, he added. Papuan separatists have fought for independence since Papua came under Indonesian control following Dutch rule in a vote overseen by the United Nations in 1969. The police said the location of the landslide was in the same area where a separatist group killed dozens of workers who built a bridge back in 2018.
Stop the 'Empty Land' Politics in Papua
Reporter Tempo October 15, 2025
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government’s claim of ‘empty land’ in Papua reveals a colonial mindset, one that erases indigenous communities existence.
In reality, the government has been far quicker to release forests for commercial interests than to recognize customary ones. Since 2016, the government has redesignated 156 customary forests covering a total of 332,000 hectares despite the fact that according to the Customary Territory Registration Agency, there are 33.6 million hectares of customary areas in Indonesia, including 14.8 million hectares in Papua. Of this area, only seven customary forests in Papua have been recognized by the state, and these cover only 39,000 hectares—less than 0.3 percent of the total customary territories.
Conversely, through Forestry Ministry Decree No. 591/2025 alone, the government rapidly changed the function of 486,000 hectares of forest into non-forest: 334,000 hectares of this in Merauke. The food estate project in Merauke, which is believed to be linked to the interests of tycoons and the military, is a symbol of forest clearance without consent from affected indigenous communities.
Every project that has an impact on customary areas is obliged to follow the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) mechanism as laid down in a number of international conventions. FPIC emphasizes that indigenous community must not come under pressure, consent is needed before permits are issued, decisions are taken after complete information has been provided, and the collective decision of customary people—including the right of refusal—must be respected.
The FPIC principles are not simply an administrative formality, but a demonstration of respect for the authority of indigenous people over their areas. Therefore, Indonesia needs to immediately adopt FPIC as a legal and ethical standard for development in customary areas. And the mechanism should also be integrated within the forestry, environmental, and agrarian permit system. Any forest release process without a participative and fair process must be halted.
Recognition of customary forests is not a gift from the nation, but a fulfillment of constitutional rights and a form of restorative justice for the long history of seizures of customary land. The relationship between the state and indigenous peoples needs to change from domination to respect. Therefore, government officials must abandon the colonial viewpoint that sees customary forests as ‘empty land.’
Human Rights Monitor
Papua Quarterly Report Q3 2025: Violence and Impunity: Killings and arrests as security forces expand across West Papua
General / 31 October 2025
This 12-page document outlines cases and developments, including human rights violations and their patterns, the escalation of armed conflict and its impact on civilians, significant political shifts in Indonesia affecting West Papua, and international responses and initiatives. It covers the period from 1 July to 30 September 2025
Summary
Human rights
The human rights situation in West Papua between July and September 2025 was overshadowed by a notable increase in military deployments and operations in West Papua’s highland regions since August 2025. The rapidly expanding presence of military personnel, even in remote districts across the central highlands, has caused further internal displacements and accelerated the escalation of armed conflict between Indonesian security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). Human rights statistics neither indicate improvements nor significant deterioration of the human rights situation throughout the reporting period. However, ongoing documentation of abuses such as killings, torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary detentions, and violations of the freedom of peaceful assembly shows that the government continues to pursue a security-based conflict approach in West Papua.
Political tensions have escalated, with security forces cracking down on protesters and arbitrarily detaining activists. In Sorong, Southwest Papua province, police arrested over a dozen people in August 2025 for their participation in protests against the transfer of four political detainees. Security forces cracked down on the protest, with one bystander being shot. The lack of capability among security forces in West Papua to handle conflict situations without using excessive force has repeatedly caused cases where minor incidents escalate into civil unrest with extensive damage and civilian victims. On 27 September 2025, members of the 123/Rajawali military Task Force opened fire on civilians in the town of Agats, Asmat Regency, South Papua Province, killing one person and injuring four with bullets. The incident unfolded as the military personnel were handling a report of public disturbance involving an intoxicated man.
Civil unrest in Yalimo Regency, Highland Papua province, in response to an escalating conflict between Papuans and non-Papuan students on 16 September, and outbreaks of horizontal violence between Papuans and non-Papuans in the Deiyai Regency on 18 August 2025, illustrate a historically growing horizontal social tension. The social injustice is fuelled by the racial discrimination and marginalisation of indigenous Papuans, which the government has failed to address over the past decades. Patterns of racial discrimination have also become evident in an escalating intimidation campaign against Papuan students across Indonesia between April and July 2025.
The widespread impunity among security forces is a major driver of human rights violations in West Papua. There are only a few examples where the internal investigation and prosecution mechanisms have succeeded. On 3 July 2025, the Military Court III-19 Jayapura found Navy Officer Agung Suyono guilty of murdering Mrs Kesya Iren https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/HRM-Quarterly-Report_3_2025.pdfe Yola Lestaluhu at the Saoka Beach in Sorong on 12 January 2025. In contrast to this case, the majority of human rights violations involving police or military have resulted in lenient sentences or are stuck in legal limbo. No progress has been made in arresting suspects in the Molotov bomb attack against Papuan Media outlet Jubi after one year of investigation, despite CCTV recordings and witness testimonies. Likewise, the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) branch office in Sorong expressed concerns regarding the legal process into allegations of arbitrary detention and torture committed by officers of the Sorong City Police against Papuan civilian, Mr Ortizan F. Tarage on 15 May 2025. Despite being officially reported to police authorities, the case remains stagnant as of September 2025, with no suspects named and no transparent investigative progress.
The aggravating healthcare crisis in West Papua has come under scrutiny following revelations of alleged corruption amounting to IDR 10 billion at the Nabire Regional General Hospital (RSUD Nabire) and a series of deaths reportedly caused by medical malpractice and neglect at the Yowari Hospital in Sentani, the General Hospital in Serui, and the Maybrat hospitals. The reports raise human rights concerns relating to the right to health, accountability, and equal access to public services in Indonesia’s easternmost provinces.
New satellite data analysis and interactive mapping tools have revealed the unprecedented scale of deforestation and ecosystem destruction across West Papua, with the National Strategic Projects driving 24% of the forest loss in 2024. A new study published by Nusantara Atlas provides a detailed analysis of land clearing trends across West Papua, revealing an alarming acceleration in environmental destruction driven by government mega-projects and corporate interests, particularly in the Merauke area.
A documentary by the Gecko Project reveals the devastating impact of Indonesia’s National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke, Papua Selatan Province, exposing how large-scale agricultural expansion under the guise of national food security results in the systematic violation of indigenous rights and environmental degradation. The project aims to convert at least 1.6 million hectares of indigenous Malind territory into rice and sugarcane plantations, secured and implemented by the military. On 19 August 2025, civil society organisations and victims of PSN filed a judicial review petition at Indonesia’s Constitutional Court challenging key provisions of the Job Creation Law (Law No. 6/ 2023) that legitimise facilitation and acceleration of PSN projects at the expense of constitutional rights and environmental protection
Full update.
https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/HRM-Quarterly-Report_3_2025.pdf
Bishop of Timika: “Stop the killings in Papua. Dialogue and defence of life”
by Mathias Hariyad. 10/22/2025
Appeal launched to AsiaNews by Bishop Bernardus Bofitwos Baru and addressed to President Prabowo and the commander of the armed forces. Last week, more than 15 people died in an army attack on the village of Soanggama, which is in the hands of separatists. A conflict fuelled ‘by investors' interests and the exploitation of natural resources’. The warning to priests: do not be afraid to denounce the ‘armed wolves’.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Immediately put an end to all attacks and outbreaks of violence in Papua; initiate a genuine dialogue in defence of human dignity. This is the appeal launched by the bishop of the diocese of Timika (Mimika regency), Mgr Bernardus Bofitwos Baru, of the Order of St Augustine, addressed to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and the commander of the armed forces (TNI), Gen. Agus Subiyanto. ‘For the sake of human dignity, stop killing my Papuan brothers and seek dialogue to resolve the problem,’ said the bishop, interviewed by AsiaNews after the recent killings that saw the deaths of at least 15 or 16 people in the highlands of Papua.
During his homily at the priestly ordination Mass celebrated on 18 October in the parish of St Peter SP3, in Timika, Bishop Bernardus recalled that human beings in Papua ‘are creatures of God, not creations of rulers to be killed at will’. The prelate then appealed to leaders to use their conscience and choose peaceful ways to resolve conflicts. ‘The government,’ he said, ‘must sit down at the table with the people, the Church and the bishops of Papua to seek humanitarian and just solutions.’ The first Indonesian Augustinian bishop then observed that many priests are afraid to speak out in the face of ‘armed wolves’ who silence the truth. ‘Yet,’ he insisted, ‘a true priest must have the courage to speak the truth, because his commander is Christ crucified, not the military power of Jakarta.’
Papua is located in the western part of the island of New Guinea; Indonesia annexed it in 1969 after a controversial referendum. Since then, a low-intensity armed insurgency has been raging between separatist rebels and Indonesian forces. In 2021, there has been an 80% increase in clashes compared to 2020, but pockets of tension and violence continue to inflame the region in fits and starts: on 17 October, the Indonesian army killed 14 Papuan fighters in an operation to liberate the village of Soanggama from separatist control, in one of the poorest regions of the country despite its underground riches, including natural gas, copper and gold. The Free Papua Movement has been fighting for independence since the area came under Jakarta's control, with a UN-supervised vote, after Dutch colonial rule. According to the separatists, there were 15 victims, including three fighters and 12 civilians.
Monsignor Bernardus went on to emphasise that the armed conflict, which has been raging in Papua for decades, stems from “investors” interests and the exploitation of natural resources'. In this regard, the prelate condemned the seizure of two million hectares of indigenous land in Merauke, in the province of South Papua, as part of the National Strategic Project, which ‘deprives people of their homes and threatens thousands of species’. Quoting theologian Ignacio Ellacuría SJ, he described the Papuan people as a ‘crucified people’, oppressed and deprived of their rights by exploitative economic and political systems. ‘If Catholics and Christians do not have the courage to carry the cross and defend the oppressed, we are new Judases,’ he said, ‘participating in the crucifixion of Christ.’ The bishop, who was born in Papua and holds a doctorate in Missiology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome (2018), invited all the faithful to pray for the more than 80,000 displaced Papuans and to let the Easter spirit bring new hope: ‘May the people of Papua,’ he concluded, ‘no longer be killed or deprived of their right to life as human beings created in the image of God.’
Pacific Islands Forum 2025: Pacific leaders plan to visit West Papua in 2026
Human Rights Monitor
Human Rights News / Indonesia, West Papua / 7 October 2025
The 54th Pacific Islands Forum, held 8-12 September 2025 in Honiara, Solomon Islands, concluded with leaders celebrating achievements on climate resilience and regional security. Similar to previous PIF communiques, Pacific leaders devoted one paragraph to West Papua in their final communiqué. The statement reaffirmed “the Forum’s ongoing recognition of Indonesia’s sovereignty over West Papua (Papua)” while recalling “Indonesia’s 2018 invitation for a mission led by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights” and tasking “the Secretariat to work constructively with Indonesia on a proposed visit by Forum Leaders Envoys in 2026, in consultation with the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat” (see paragraph 16).
The forum’s reserved engagement with West Papua was underscored by the reported ban on raising the Morning Star flag in Honiara due to Indonesian pressure, revealing the extent of external influence on Pacific decision-making at a summit themed “Iumi Tugeda” (“We are Together”) Pacific Islands Forum’s limited action on West Papua undermines the vision of a united Blue Pacific. Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka acknowledged the tension between “Melanesian solidarity with the people of West Papua” and “respecting sovereignties of states,” noting after his 2025 visit to Indonesia that he saw a Papuan cabinet member, leading him to observe: “So they are integrated, as far as Indonesia is concerned, but perhaps the leaders in West Papua think otherwise. The reference to Indonesia’s 2018 UN High Commissioner invitation highlights the persistent gap between rhetoric and action, as UN special rapporteurs and treaty bodies have sought access to West Papua since the early 1990s, with requests in 2012, 2013, 2018, and 2019 all failing despite Indonesia’s stated willingness.
The 2025 communiqué’s treatment of West Papua represents continuity rather than progress. Pacific leaders are hesitant to take substantive action by proposing another fact-finding mission seven years after the original invitation while reaffirming Indonesian sovereignty. Critics argue this approach undermines the Pacific’s credibility as a moral voice on decolonisation, leaving West Papuans to endure what some described as a slow-motion genocide. For West Papuan communities experiencing ongoing militarisation, mass displacement, and systematic human rights violationsdocumented throughout 2025, the communiqué offers little hope that Pacific regional solidarity extends meaningfully to their situation, leaving one of Melanesia’s largest populations with only limited regional support.
Wenda accuses Indonesian troops of bombarding village in Star mountains
By APR editor - October 16, 2025. Asia Pacific Report
Indonesian military forces have again bombed Kiwirok, the site of a massacre in 2021 that killed more than 300 West Papuan civilians, amid worsening violence, alleges a Papuan advocacy group. “While President Prabowo talks about promoting peace in the Middle East, his military is trying to wipe out West Papua,” said United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) leader Benny Wenda.
“Evidence gathered by villagers in the Star Mountains shows the Indonesian military using Brazilian fighter jets to target houses, gardens, and cemeteries.”
READ MORE: Documentary tells forgotten story of Indonesian military operations
He said in a statement the village had been destroyed and more civilians had become displaced in their own land, adding to more than 100,000 internal refugees.
The ULMWP website showed images from the attack. Wenda said the bombing showed again “how the whole world is complicit in the genocide of my people”……………. https://asiapacificreport.nz/2025/10/16/wenda-accuses-indonesian-troops-of-bombarding-village-in-star-mountains/
Papuan students in Makassar rally to demand release of 4 treason defendants
Detik Papua – October 30, 2025
Eskop Wisabla, Makassar – The University and High School Student Papua People's Solidarity Forum/Papuan People's Concern (FSPM-PRP) in Makassar city, South Sulawesi, held a protest action as support in the ongoing treason trial of four Papuan political prisoners, Abraham Goram Gaman, Piter Robaha, Nixon Maay and Maksi Sangkek, which was held in front of the Makassar District Court.
Action Coordinator Atlak Wandikbo stated, "We believe the legal proceedings against the four political prisoners are rife with criminalisation and the silencing of the peaceful political struggle of the Papuan people. Based on the facts from the hearings on September 30 and October 7, 2025, all the witnesses' testimonies actually undermined the prosecutor's charges".
"The witnesses stated that the defendants did not commit makar (treason, subversion, rebellion), did not carry weapons, did not incite the public, and only delivered letters peacefully to a number of government offices in Sorong."
"The letter delivered contained an invitation for peaceful dialogue as mandated by the Federal State of the Republic of West Papua (NFRPB) under the leadership of Forkorus Yaboisembut", said Wandikbo in a written statement given to journalists on Thursday October 30.
Wandikbo said, "However the state instead responded to this peaceful action with the makar articles (Articles 106 and 110 of the Criminal Code, KUHP) as well as additional articles from the ITE Law [Information and Electronic Transaction Law], which we consider to be a form of abuse of the principles of justice, democracy and human rights".
"Furthermore, the transfer of the trial location from Sorong [regency in Southwest Papua province] to Makassar without proper notification to the defendant's family and legal counsel violates the principle of a fair trial. This reflects the discriminatory practices Papuans continue to face under Indonesian law."
"We emphasise that peaceful political activities are guaranteed by Article 28E paragraph (3) of the 1945 Constitution concerning freedom of association, assembly and expression of opinion", he added.
The action coordinator also highlighted Law Number 9/1998 on Freedom of Expression in Public and Law Number 39/1999 on Human Rights. "Therefore, there is no legal basis for imprisoning the four Papuan political prisoners", he asserted, expressing the hope that they would be released.
Therefore, we, the Makassar city FSPM-PRP demand:
1. Unconditionally release the four Papuan political prisoners: Abraham Goram Gaman, Piter Robaha, Nixon Maay and Maksi Sangkek.
2. Stop the criminalisation, intimidation and terror against activists and the Papuan people who are fighting peacefully for justice and independence.
3. Open a peaceful dialogue between the Indonesian Government and the Papuan people as proposed by the NRFPB in Sorong.
4. Withdraw all military and police forces (organic and non-organic) from West Papua.
5. Thoroughly investigate gross human rights violations in Papua, including the murder of Tobias Silak and the mutilation of Tarina Murib.
6. Stop the exploitation of Papua's natural resources and close down companies that are grabbing people's land: Freeport, BP, LNG Tangguh, MNC, MIFEE and others.
7. The UN and the international community must take moral and political responsibility to assist the process of self-determination for the West Papuan nation.
8. Open the broadest possible access for national and international journalists to be able to report freely in the land of Papua.
9. Stop military operations and the shooting of civilians in Yalimo, Yahukimo, Paniai, Intan Jaya, Puncak, Dogiyai and all conflict areas in West Papua.
10. Unconditionally release all political prisoners who are being held in state detention cells throughout Indonesia.
11. Grant the right of self-determination as a democratic solution for the people of West Papua.
The FSPM-PRP also emphasised that justice must not be sacrificed in the name of power, that Papuans are not enemies but part of humanity demanding justice and that the criminalisation of peaceful struggle is simply a manifestation of the state's fear of the truth.
Stop the criminalisation! Release Papuan and Indonesian political prisoners! Long live the struggle of the Papuan and Indonesian people.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Solidaritas Mahasiswa Papua di makassar Lakukan Aksi Sidang Empat Tapol NFRPB Massa Serukan Keadilan dan Hentikan Kriminalisasi".]
Arbitrary arrests and restriction of peaceful assembly in Jayapura
Human Rights Monitor15 October 2025
On 23 September 2025, police officers from the Jayapura Police arbitrarily detained thirteen members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in the Sentani area while they were distributing leaflets to announce an upcoming peaceful demonstration marking International Farmers’ Day (24 September 2025). According to local reports, at 10:08 am, police officers stopped the activists at the old Sentani Market (Pasar Lama) and detained them after 20 minutes of tense negotiations. The police seized the leaflets and transported the KNPB activists to the local police station for questioning. They were allowed to leave later that day.
In the afternoon, around 3:30 pm, KNPB members in Abepura and Kamkey, Jayapura City, continued distributing the same leaflets at strategic public points. The police again intervened, seizing the leaflets and detaining several individuals in police vehicles. In response, other KNPB members and residents marched to the Abepura Police Station to protest the arbitrary detention and demand an explanation.
Human rights analysis
This incident demonstrates a continuing pattern of repression of peaceful political expression in West Papua. The arrests of non-violent activists for merely distributing informational materials represent a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, as guaranteed under Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State Party. The use of police force to silence non-violent activists highlights the shrinking democratic space in West Papua and perpetuates an atmosphere of fear among civil society organisations. The events underscore the urgent need for systemic reform of policing practices in West Papua to prevent and reduce human rights violations.
Detailed Case Data
Location: CGJ4+W2W, Jln.mahkal;),;Pasar Lama, Hinekombe, Kec. Sentani, Kabupaten Jayapura, Papua 99352, Indonesia (-2.567648, 140.5050644) pasar Lama Sentani (Old Sentani Market)
Region: Indonesia, Papua, Jayapura Regency, Sentani
Total number of victims: 13
# | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
1. | 13 | male | unknown | Activist, Indigenous Peoples |
Period of incident: 23/09/2025 – 23/09/2025
Perpetrator: , POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polres and Polresta Jayapura
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Free West Papua film & forum: Papuan Skies
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Alleged enforced disappearances, mass displacement, and starvation risks following military operations in Lanny Jaya
Human Rights Monitor 3 November 2025
An Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) air-and-ground operation in Yigemili Village, Melagi District, Lanny Jaya Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, on 05 October 2025, allegedly resulted in the enforced disappearance of two civilians named Mr Yoban Kine Wenda, 60, and Mr Wiringga Walia Wenda, 23. Subsequent searches, including a mission on 31 October 2025 by the Papuan Foundation for Justice and Human Integrity (YKKMP) and the Lanny Jaya Humanitarian Team, failed to locate the men.
In the aftermath, at least 25 traditional houses (honai) and three tin-roofed homes were damaged (one honai reportedly burned), and around 2,300 civilians fled to the villages Wuyukwi and Yigemili as internally displaced persons (IDPs). They are facing acute shortages of food and essential services. Local authorities are reported to be passive and unresponsive, while the IDPs refuse to return home as security forces remain present in the area.
On 05 October 2025, two helicopters allegedly conducted aerial strikes supporting a wider operation against the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in and around the villages Wunabugu and Yigemili. Congregants preparing for Sunday Holy Communion dispersed in panic amid the attack. In the same context, Yoban Kine Wenda and Wiringga Walia Wenda went missing and have not been seen since. Over the following weeks, families attempted two searches, each time first reporting to a newly established TNI post and being allowed three hours to search. On 31 October 2025, YKKMP Chairperson, Mr Theo Hesegem, led a humanitarian team (see photo on top, source: YKKMP) and families to the incident site; after roughly two hours, no remains or traces were found.
Between 24–26 October 2025, YKKMP and church partners installed billboards across Melagi, Melagineri, West Wano, Kwiyawage, and Goa Balim articulating basic civilian rights under international humanitarian law (IHL) and a community statement prohibiting warfare in civilian areas while troops remain deployed in Unabunggu Village. The community billboards reflect legitimate civilian protection measures, reminders to both TNI and TPNPB of IHL duties to avoid hostilities in civilian areas, to cease arbitrary arrests, and to respect education, health, religious, and economic life.
Human rights and humanitarian law assessment
The alleged incommunicado detention and concealment of the fate/whereabouts of Yoban Kine Wenda and Wiringga Walia Wenda, if attributable to state agents, would constitute enforced disappearance, a grave violation under international human rights law (IHRL) and contrary to the ICCPR obligations to protect the right to life, liberty, security of person, and to prevent arbitrary detention and ill-treatment. Indonesia has not ratified specific treaties on disappearances, yet states are bound by customary norms and the UN Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance to investigate promptly, effectively, and transparently, and to inform families.
Reports of aerial strikes and widespread damage to civilian homes, coupled with mass displacement, raise serious concerns under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) regarding the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions. Parties to the non-international armed conflict must never target civilians or civilian objects and must take all feasible precautions to minimise incidental harm.
The displacement of about 2,300 civilians and the starvation risk engage the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and the State’s positive duties to ensure access to food, shelter, health care, education, and protection without discrimination. Local authorities’ reported passivity is inconsistent with obligations to prevent humanitarian crises, enable relief operations, and facilitate safe, voluntary, and dignified return when conditions allow.
Detailed Case Data
Location: Yigemili, Malagaineri, Lanny Jaya Regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-3.9034265, 137.9812152)
Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Lanny Jaya, Melagi
Total number of victims: 2
Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations | |
1. | 1 | Yoban Kine Wenda | male | 60 | Indigenous Peoples | disappearance |
2. | 1 | Wiringga Walia Wenda | male | 23 |
Period of incident: 05/10/2025 – 05/10/2025
Perpetrator: , Indonesian Military (TNI)
Issues: indigenous peoples, security force violence
Indonesia targets completion of Jayapura–Wamena road by late 2026
Antata November 1, 2025
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said on Friday that the Jayapura–Wamena Trans-Papua Road project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026. The 575-kilometer road from Jayapura, Papua, to Wamena, Highland Papua, is projected to become a key transport route linking the mountainous regions and improving economic and logistical access.
Hanggodo said the project had entered its next phase following the signing of a public–private partnership agreement. The tender process has been completed, and construction has started in several sections, he added. "The land issue remains unresolved, along with occasional security disturbances. That's why building the Jayapura–Wamena Trans-Papua Road is such a challenge," he said.
To address security concerns, Hanggodo said his team is working with local security forces, including the National Police's Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob). He also emphasized that the ministry is open to dialogue with traditional leaders to resolve land ownership issues and ensure community participation. Construction of the Trans-Papua Road has been designated a government priority, as it supports development in the four new autonomous regions: South Papua, Central Papua, Highland Papua, and Southwest Papua. "We aim to focus on completing the Trans-Papua Road because road access is crucial for infrastructure development in the new regions. Without proper roads, regional progress will be hampered," he said.
According to the ministry, the Trans-Papua Road network spans 4,330 kilometers, connecting all provinces in Papua from Sorong in Southwest Papua to Merauke in South Papua. As of August, 3,000 kilometers have been opened.
Related news: Govt to fast-track 61-km Trans-Jayapura-Wamena road
Related news: Highland Papua pushes Trans Papua Toll Road completion
Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari Editor: Anton Santoso
Opinion pieces/meda releases/reports etc
A very informative night on West Papua.
https://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2025/09/a-very-informative-night-on-west-papua.html
A Tale of Two Melanesian Struggles for Independence
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/a-tale-of-two-melanesian-struggles-for-independence/
Grifting Grasberg. The great Indonesian gold-mining ‘mismatch’
https://michaelwest.com.au/grifting-grasberg-the-great-indonesian-gold-mining-mismatch/
'Real Action': Pacific voices growing louder over West Papua's escalating crisis
https://pmn.co.nz/read/pacific-region/pacific-voices-grow-louder-over-west-papua-s-escalating-crisis
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