Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Statement 5 July 2026
28 years since the Biak Massacre-and the conflict in West Papua
escalates
On the 6th July in 1988, the Indonesian security forces massacred scores of people in Biak, West Papua. The victims, included women and children who had gathered for a peaceful rally. They were killed at the base of a water tower flying the Morning Star flag.
28 years later and no Indonesian security force member has ever been charged or brought to justice for the human rights abuses committed against peaceful West Papuan demonstrators.
Joe Collins of AWPA said, “not only has no military personal ever been brought to justice but the killing of Papuans in the territory continues and in fact the conflict is escalating”.
West Papuan people continue to be arrested, intimated and killed by the security forces. There are ongoing clashes between the TPNPB and the Indonesian military with casualties on both sides. As a result of these clashes , the Indonesian security forces carry out operations in the area causing local people to flee in fear for their lives. It’s the internal refugees bearing the brunt of the conflict. According to Human Rights Monitor there are over 122,00 internal refugees in West Papua as of June 2026.
Collins said , as the situation in West Papua deteriorates , we can expect more Papuans to flee from their villages for safety.
In the latest incident an American pilot, Nicholas F. Gosselin was killed and the Associated Mission Aviation (AMA) plane he was flying was destroyed.
The incident occurred at the Kampung Balinggama airfield, Sobaham District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Mountains Province.
A West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) spokesperson , Sebby Sambom said that the TPNPB members from the Yahukimo Regional Command, were responsible for the shooting and for setting fire to the aircraft. He pointed out that previously the TPNPB had issued an ultimatum prohibiting all civilian aircraft from entering the TPNPB region.
Papua separatists posted photos showing the site where they killed an American pilot and set fire to his plane in the restive region. Supplied: Facebook (Supplied: Facebook) ( ABC)
Sebby said that the group believes that civilian aircraft are regularly being used to transport Indonesian troops and military logistics into Papua’s interior to support military operations although the AMA and the military have denied this.
Joe Collins said , “what’s of real concern now is the military might conduct another security force operation to hunt for the TPNPB members in the area which will only result in more internal refugees and more villagers arrested and intimidated”.
Already the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago has condemned the attack. The ministry, says Djamari, will encourage the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) to continue pursuing the perpetrators and take firm action, and in an ANTARA News report the Commander of the Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III, Lieutenant General Lucky Avianto, said the Indonesian Military (TNI) will deploy additional security personnel to several vulnerable locations in Papua following the fatal shooting.
Statements such as this are not helpful and only create anxiety in the Papuan population.
The Biak Massacre
In brief.
From the 2nd July in 1998, activists and local people started gathering beneath the water tower, singing songs and holding traditional dances. As the rally continued, many more people in the area joined in with numbers reaching up to 500 people. On the 6 July the Indonesian security forces attacked the demonstrators, massacring scores of people.
Although the Australia Government knew of the Massacre, it failed to condemn the Indonesian military”. Shortly after the massacre took place, an Australian military attaché and intelligence officer, Dan Weadon, from the Jakarta embassy visited Biak. The officer was also handed photographic evidence by West Papuans on Biak. The photos were distributed to his superiors within defence, but they never saw the light of day.
If Canberra was reluctant to raise the massacre with Jakarta 28 years ago, nothing has really changed and Canberra is still reluctant to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with Jakarta.
Increasing awareness.
It is very rare that the main stream media covers the issue of West Papua. However, a new documentary film has achieved major coverage around the world . The documentary, film , “ Pesta Babi: Kolonialisme di Zaman Kita” (Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our Time) is about the impacts of deforestation in South Papua . It follows the local Papuan communities resisting the loss of their land and livelihoods due to a government-backed National Strategic Project. The National Strategic Project is a massive food and energy project in southern Papua and particularly in the Merauke region. The project includes industrial food estates and sugarcane plantations, causing the destruction of millions of hectares of forest and customary Indigenous land.
There has been a number of crackdowns on some venues screening the film by the authorities because of its controversial nature. It’s this controversy that has led to the coverage in the mainstream media.
So far, the film has screened over 2000 times in Indonesia and overseas including in New Zealand and Australia. Since it was released online it has had more than 13 Million views.
What is really encouraging is the film is bringing awareness to the Indonesian population and although it might not increase support for independence for West Papua amongst Indonesians, it will cause outrage about the ongoing environmental destruction and the human rights abuses. A good start.
Background
The Biak Citizens Tribunal
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