2) Prabowo’s palm oil expansion plans for West Papua raise Indigenous rights concerns
5) Amnesty Reports 5,538 Arbitrary Arrests, Abuses During Indonesia Protests in 2025
1) Victim-activated explosive devices in Yahukimo – One Papuan civilian injured while working in his garden
Human rights analysis
Mr Agus Magayang during medical treatment at the Dekai Regional General Hospital on 23 December 2025
Security forces devastated houses and left behind bullet shells and a hand grenade, following an armed clash in Dekai on 13 December 2025
Location: Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-4.8638158, 139.4837298) Jalan Gunung, Dekai District
Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Yahukimo, Dekai
Total number of victims: 1
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Agus Magayang | male | 40 | Indigenous Peoples | ill-treatment, right to life |
Perpetrator: , Indonesian Security Forces
Issues: indigenous peoples, security force violence
2) Prabowo’s palm oil expansion plans for West Papua raise Indigenous rights concerns
Military-backed deforestation in Merauke Regency
https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/stories/building-better-foundations-young-learners-west-papua
3) Building Better Foundations for Young Learners in West Papua
Tackling barriers to improve early childhood education
Article UNICEF Indonesia
English Bahasa Indonesia
30 December 2025
On a windy afternoon in Pegunungan Arfak district, West Papua province, five-year-old Gracia waits by the roadside, her school bag resting near her feet, where a cat twirls playfully. From across the street, her teacher Bertha calls out, “Gracia, be careful when you cross the road!”
Inside the Sinar Hungku Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre, laughter fills the air. One by one, the children line up and greet Bertha with hi-fives and giggles – a ritual that marks the start of learning at the centre.
“A good day is when I arrive at school and the children greet me with smiles and warm hellos,” Bertha shares, embracing the children as the cool breeze sweeps through. “It becomes a source of motivation for me, to be more enthusiastic in delivering lessons and organizing activities.”
UNICEF/UNI920441/Chair
While the scene is lively today, the school is not always bustling with activity. Attendance fluctuates and sometimes dips significantly. Classrooms are often left empty due to harsh weather, children needing to join their parents in the fields to work, and absent teachers.
“There are not many teachers, and when they face obstacles or family matters, there’s no one else available to step in and take their place,” Bertha explains, her eyes reflecting deep concern.
UNICEF/UNI920428/Chair
As of 2024, only three of every five ECD centres in Pegunungan Arfak operate consistently throughout the school year. Many have intermittent closures due to staffing shortages or weather disruptions. Other schools throughout West Papua face similar challenges.
Teacher capacity is a major concern – most educators lack formal training in early childhood pedagogy, making it difficult to deliver effective, interactive lessons. Student participation has declined over the years. There is also a lack of assessment tools to evaluate learning outcomes for children with disabilities.
UNICEF/UNI920535/Chair
This uncertainty – never knowing when schools may reopen – leaves parents anxious. Yet, even as their hopes for their children’s future hang in the balance, many remain invested. “My hope is for my children to have a future that’s brighter [than mine],” says David, Gracia’s father, who continues to believe strongly in the value of education.
The stakes are high. Without access to quality, equitable and inclusive education, children miss out on developing their foundational skills, including basic literacy and numeracy. The consequences are long-term: limiting children’s learning and development, diminishing their opportunities for a better future.
To respond to these challenges, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Government of Australia, have partnered with local authorities since 2024 to improve learning in ECD centres across Pegunungan Arfak through the Early Grade Learning programme.
UNICEF/UNI920444/Chair
Efforts focus on building the capacity of teachers in play-based and interactive learning, providing culturally relevant local learning materials, and improving knowledge exchange between teachers in ECD centres and primary schools to help ensure a smoother transition from for students. The programme also empowers parents with skills and knowledge on positive parenting.
These joint efforts are making a difference. Teachers report greater confidence in using interactive methods and locally available materials to make lessons more engaging for their students. ECD centres that once struggled with irregular attendance are seeing more consistent participation, thanks to improved classroom practices and stronger support from parents. Parents are expressing a better understanding of the importance of early learning, nutrition and hygiene at home.
Local education officials are considering expansion of the approach to more centres across the regency. The district has begun mobilizing resources to strengthen ECD services, including monitoring teacher attendance and encouraging greater parental involvement, while addressing gaps in teacher capacity and learning materials.
“We will ensure that more training will be implemented and reach more teachers, so that every child in Pegunungan Arfak can experience quality early learning,” says the Head of the Early Childhood Education Section of the District Education Office.
UNICEF/UNI920440/Chair
Among those driving change are teacher facilitators who support both ECD and primary schools. They are helping strengthen teaching skills across subjects through creative and engaging methods.
“Teachers didn’t know there should be a standard operating procedure (SOP) before starting classroom activities,” explains Maria, a facilitator based in the area. “Before, the teachers would simply prepare the students (pick them up at home to help ensure they get to school) and greet them upon entering the classroom.”
UNICEF/UNI920619/Chair
Maria introduced teachers to new routines to start the day and shared practical techniques using simple, locally sourced materials. “We don’t always have to use numbers written on the board. Sometimes we can use stones, leaves, and other everyday objects to help early childhood students learn to count more easily,” she says.
UNICEF/UNI920420/Chair
For Bertha, all these efforts – from her own role as a teacher to the work of facilitators and partners – are part of a larger vision. “Early childhood education is very important. As mothers, we hope that these children receive their full rights as children, and that in 20 or 25 years, they will become a generation of remarkable individuals who return to develop the Arfak Mountains, especially our village,” she says.
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Papua BNN chief Brigadier General Anang Triwidiandoko said on Tuesday that the agency has intensified monitoring through integrated inspections at key border points, particularly the Skouw crossing in Jayapura city, which authorities consider a high-risk entry route for illegal drugs.
“As the year-end approaches, we are tightening supervision in border areas because Papua remains highly vulnerable to illicit drug trafficking, especially marijuana,” Triwidiandoko told reporters in Jayapura.
He said the move follows directives from BNN headquarters that stress the need to strengthen border controls to protect communities from the threat posed by narcotics.
To bolster enforcement, the agency is coordinating closely with the Skouw Cross-Border Post (PLBN) and deploying joint inspection teams involving the Indonesian military (TNI), national police (Polri), customs and excise officers, and other relevant agencies.
These teams are conducting checks on travelers as well as their luggage and goods.
“Cross-sector coordination is essential to ensure effective supervision and to create a deterrent effect for drug smugglers,” Triwidiandoko said.
Related news: Indonesian troops seize 128 marijuana packs on PNG border
He added that integrated inspection operations will continue on a regular basis, supported by temporary facilities that have been set up in border areas to serve as operational posts for officers on duty.
Looking ahead, the Papua BNN hopes to establish a permanent interdiction service post at the border to further strengthen oversight, particularly along unofficial routes that are often exploited by smugglers.
“Information we have gathered indicates that these illicit activities often involve teenagers,” Triwidiandoko said, underscoring concerns about the impact of drug trafficking on young people.
Papua shares a land border with Papua New Guinea, making it one of Indonesia’s most sensitive regions for cross-border crimes, including narcotics smuggling.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that increased movement of people and goods during holiday periods can heighten the risk of illegal drug flows, prompting tighter security measures ahead of major celebrations.
Related news: PNG national arrested in Jayapura for smuggling 21kg of marijuana
Translator: Qadri Pratiwi, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
5) Amnesty Reports 5,538 Arbitrary Arrests, Abuses During Indonesia Protests in 2025
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Amnesty International Indonesia reported that at least 5,538 people were arbitrarily arrested, subjected to violence, or exposed to tear gas in 2025 while exercising their right to express opinions in public, amid what the organization described as a growing repressive approach by the state toward public protests.
“Throughout this year alone, 5,538 people were arbitrarily arrested,” Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said in a statement issued on Monday, December 29, 2025.
Amnesty noted that large-scale protests took place between March and August 2025 over a range of issues, including revisions to the Indonesian Military (TNI) Law, labor rights, national strategic projects, and parliamentary benefits.
Rather than engaging in dialogue, authorities were said to have relied on heavy-handed security measures to disperse demonstrators.
According to the organization, law enforcement frequently used excessive force during the protests. Amnesty also documented the deployment of tear gas canisters containing explosive materials during demonstrations in late August, warning that such weapons carried a high risk of causing permanent injuries.
Instead of conducting a thorough evaluation of these incidents, the National Police chief issued Regulation No. 4 of 2025, which Amnesty said loosened restrictions on the use of firearms by police officers.
The group described the regulation as dangerous, arguing that it could further expand opportunities for abuse of power.
“The authoritarian character of the government and parliament is evident in the way these policies are formulated,” Usman said.
Amnesty also raised concerns over the enactment of the revised TNI Law and the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), noting that several provisions could enable arbitrary arrests and broaden the use of coercive measures by law enforcement agencies.
Beyond mass arrests, protesters were also subjected to stigmatization, the organization said. Officials and security forces frequently labeled demonstrators as “anarchists,” “provocateurs,” or even “terrorists.”
In some cases, activists faced prosecution, while alleged perpetrators of violence were not adequately investigated.
“This is a classic tactic used to silence criticism,” Usman added.
Repression, Amnesty said, extended beyond street demonstrations. Throughout 2025, at least 283 human rights defenders were attacked, ranging from criminal charges to attempted murder, with journalists and indigenous communities among the most affected.
Amnesty warned that these patterns point to a serious contraction of civic space in Indonesia. If left unchecked, the organization cautioned, repressive law enforcement practices risk becoming the new norm.
Read: 2025 Is "Human Rights Catastrophe" for Indonesia, Says Amnesty International
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