1) Young Papuan man fatally shot during road blockade triggered by car accident

 

2) Amid deepening security cooperation, Australia, Indonesia, PNG launch defense dialogue

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https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/young-papuan-man-fatally-shot-during-road-blockade-triggered-by-car-accident/

1) Young Papuan man fatally shot during road blockade triggered by car accident

12 December 2025 / 4 minutes of reading

On 3 December 2025, at around 4:00 pm, 20-year-old indigenous Papuan, Mr Yanuarius Pekei, was shot dead while joining a protest on the connecting road from Paniai to Dogiyai in the Deiyai Regency, Central Papua Province. Mr Pekei sustained a lethal gunshot wound to the neck and died at the scene. Relatives of a previous traffic accident victim who had been killed on 2 December 2025 had set up a roadblock, demanding justice. Preliminary information from local sources indicates that the shot was fired from a Hilux (Strada) vehicle that forced its way through the blockade. Community members allege that the shooter is associated with Indonesian security forces. The incident forms part of a wider pattern of lethal violence and excessive use of force against indigenous Papuan civilians in Deiyai Regency and other Papuan provinces in eastern Indonesia.

On 2 December 2025, a traffic accident occurred in Deiyai Regency, Central Papua Province. According to initial reports, a vehicle hit a resident, causing severe injuries. The victim eventually succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The driver responsible for the accident reportedly surrendered himself to the Deiyai Regency Police. Local sources state that the family received no clear information regarding the legal status of the driver, whether he was detained, and what steps were being taken to ensure accountability and reparations under both state and customary law.

Road blockade by the victim’s family (3 December 2025)

On 3 December 2025, the victim’s family and relatives expressed their dissatisfaction and anger over the authorities’ handling of the traffic accident case, in particular the failure to facilitate an appropriate customary law process (‘hukum adat’) and to provide transparent information on the status of the perpetrator.

In response, family members and supporters blocked the main road connecting Dogiyai – Deiyai – Paniai, a crucial transport artery in Central Papua Province. The blockade caused significant traffic congestion and a build-up of vehicles on both sides of the road. Residents gathered at the scene, and tensions rose as no effective mediation or conflict-resolution efforts were undertaken by the relevant state authorities.

Shooting of Yanuarius Pekei (3 December 2025)

During the congestion caused by the blockade on 3 December 2025, at around 3:30-4 pm, a Hilux (Strada) vehicle reportedly attempted to force its way through the roadblock established by the victim’s family. Witnesses report that the driver partially lowered the window and fired live ammunition towards the residents standing on or near the road.

One civilian, Yanuarius Pekei, an indigenous Papuan from Ibodiyo Village, Tigi District, Deiyai Regency, was shot in the neck. He died on the spot from the gunshot wound at around 4 pm. At the time of writing, there is no information that he posed any threat or was armed.

Residents and church networks allege that the shooter is linked to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) or other Indonesian security forces, as such vehicles are frequently used by security personnel in the area. However, the exact identity, institutional affiliation, and legal status of the shooter remain unclear. No official public statement clarifying these points has yet been reported to Human Rights Monitor.

Following the killing, the situation on the ground became highly tense, with community members gathering to express their anger and grief, and to condemn the shooting. There are concerns that further escalation could occur in the absence of prompt, transparent, and credible steps towards accountability.

Human rights analysis

The incident in Deiyai raises serious concerns under international human rights law and Indonesian law, particularly regarding the right to life, the use of force and firearms by state agents, and the state’s duty to prevent and de-escalate violence. The shooting that killed Yanuarius Pekei appears, on the available information, to constitute an arbitrary deprivation of life. Even if the shooter were a state agent confronted with a road blockade, the use of lethal force against an unarmed civilian blocking a road is disproportionate and unnecessary. International standards permit the use of lethal force by law enforcement officials only when strictly unavoidable to protect life. Shooting into a crowd of protesting civilians, or at an individual blocking a road, does not meet this threshold.

The authorities’ failure to adequately address the underlying traffic accident case, to clearly communicate the legal status of the driver, and to facilitate a customary dispute-resolution process contributed to the escalation that led to the blockade. Besides, reports from Deiyai and other Papuan provinces indicate a recurring pattern of excessive and lethal use of force by Indonesian security forces in response to protests, road blockades, and other forms of community mobilisation.

Indonesia is required to conduct a prompt, effective, independent, and impartial investigation into any suspicious death involving potential state responsibility. Such an investigation must identify the shooter, clarify his institutional affiliation, and examine the chain of command, rules of engagement, and orders under which he was acting.

Detailed Case Data
Location: main road connecting Dogiyai – Deiyai – Paniai
Region: Indonesia, Central Papua, Deiyai
Total number of victims: 1

#	Number of Victims	Name, Details	Gender	Age	Group Affiliation	Violations
1.	1	Yanuarius Pekei	diverse	20	Indigenous Peoples	unlawful killing

Period of incident: 03/12/2025 – 03/12/2025
Issues: indigenous peoples

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https://ipdefenseforum.com/2025/12/amid-deepening-security-cooperation-australia-indonesia-png-launch-defense-dialogue/

2) Amid deepening security cooperation, Australia, Indonesia, PNG launch defense dialogue

December 14, 2025

Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) convened their first trilateral defense ministers’ meeting in December 2025. The historic gathering in Port Moresby, PNG, reflects a growing recognition that their shared region, challenges and strategic interests demand collaborative responses.

Defense ministers Richard Marles of Australia, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin of Indonesia and Billy Joseph of PNG agreed to hold the forum annually. The leaders described the trilateral partnership as “built on mutual respect, shared interests and a collective vision for a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.” They emphasized that the nations’ “breadth of military engagement” fortifies cooperation among their armed forces.

They discussed opportunities to collaborate on key areas including maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and aviation best practices.

The nations’ proximity — with PNG between Australia and Indonesia, which bridge the Indian and Pacific oceans — enables cooperation to strengthen the regional security infrastructure more than each country could accomplish alone, experts say.

The trilateral dialogue builds on recent security agreements. In October 2025, PNG and Australia signed the Pukpuk Treaty, a mutual defense pact formalizing their long-standing defense relationship. Australia and Indonesia concluded negotiations in November for their Treaty on Common Security, which commits Canberra and Jakarta to regular high-level consultations on security matters and to “identify and undertake mutually beneficial security activities.” It also compels Australia and Indonesia to consider a joint response if either comes under attack.

Meanwhile, Indonesia and PNG have deepened security ties and discussed accelerating a defense cooperation agreement, the Jakarta-based Antara news agency reported.

“Against this spectrum, it is both timely and fitting that Papua New Guinea, Australia and Indonesia meet collectively at ministerial level,” Joseph said. “This trilateral meeting allows us to deepen trust, harmonize our approaches and enhance coordination on issues that affect all of us, including border management, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster responses, defense capability development and broader regional peace and stability.

“Our discussions today will lay the foundation for a stronger trilateral relationship — one built on transparency, shared responsibility and mutual benefit.”

Observers say the trilateral dialogue can link overlapping bilateral agreements for a regional framework that allows the nations to align defense strategies, capabilities and responses.

Marles lauded the “deep strategic trust between our three countries” and cited benefits for each.

For PNG, the forum signals national security support from its largest neighbors. Indonesia gains Indo-Pacific commitments for its territorial integrity. “And from an Australian perspective, to have our two northern neighbours around the table with us is hugely significant in terms of providing security across our northern approaches for Australia, and that goes to the very heart of our nation and the very security of our continent,” Marles stated.

The collaboration sends a message from all three participants: In an era of evolving geopolitical competition, security and prosperity depend on regional integration, trust and shared responsibility.

What opportunities do you see for your nation to advance cooperation with Allies and Partners?

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