2) Moi Indigenous Clan block Palm Oil Company over alleged damage to ancestral burial site
3) Suspect arbitrarily detained and beaten during police custody in Nabire
4) Two indigenous Papuans allegedly detained and forcibly disappeared during security operation in Dekai
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https://humanrightsmonitor.org/news/indigenous-civilians-trapped-by-military-deployment-in-tolikara/
1) Indigenous civilians trapped by military deployment in Tolikara
An estimated 8,251 civilians (see table below, source: independent HRD) in three districts of Tolikara Regency have been confined to their homes, cut off from gardens, schools and health services, since non-organic Indonesian military (TNI) troops entered the area on 5 October 2026. Nearly 100 residents of Gundagi District, including young schoolchildren, have fled into the forest without food.
According to local sources, military personnel, transported in four vehicles and a Strada pick-up (see photo on top and below, source: independent HRD), were deployed to Kali Iraga, Nugarime and Likor and have since positioned themselves along strategic roads in Telenggeme, Kembu and Gundagi districts. Rather than remaining on the main road, personnel are stationed on the outskirts of villages near gardens, water sources and the forest paths used to collect firewood. Residents who leave their homes report being stopped and questioned one by one to verify their identity. On the morning of 7 October, residents discovered that the troops had arbitrarily detained one community member.
No official statement on the basis for the deployment, its duration or the identity of the units involved had been issued by the Tolikara Regency Government, the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD), Kodim 1517 Tolikara or the Tolikara Police at the time of writing.
Food, health and schooling under strain
Residents describe severe fear and trauma and say they dare not travel to their gardens, the main source of food in these subsistence farming communities. Local sources warn that garden food supplies will soon be exhausted and have asked the government for emergency food aid.
Twelve schools in the three districts have reprotedly stopped teaching, among them Woraga State Primary School and Woraga Nursery School, whose pupils are among those hiding in the forest, as well as primary, lower and upper secondary schools in Mamit, Kembu, Telenggeme, Kagineri and Kage, and the Maranatha Bible School in Mamit. Five health facilities, including the Mamit and Telenggeme community health centres, the Yaragi and Woraga health posts and the Siloam Clinic in Mamit, report disrupted operations. Medicines remain available and health workers are treating patients behind closed doors, but road access for patients is obstructed.
Appeals for withdrawal go unanswered
On 7 October, leaders of the GIDI Kembu Prospective Region, accompanied by teachers and local intellectuals, reportedly tried to approach troops camped on the banks of the Wora River in Gundagi District to ask on what authority they were there. They were ordered at gunpoint not to approach or ask questions and to leave immediately. No further negotiation has been possible since.
On 8 October, intellectual, religious, women’s and community leaders wrote to the Regent, the Regent’s Secretary, the Office of Political, Social and Cultural Affairs, the District Military Commander and the Chief of Police of Tolikara, demanding that the government question the units at the Kangime post about their mandate and withdraw them from the two districts. On 12 October, GIDI youth in Kembu issued a further appeal to the Regency and Papua Pegunungan provincial governments for an immediate assessment of the situation, food aid, and the withdrawal of troops by the Tolikara Police Chief and Kodim 1517.
Affected areas
Civilians confined to their homes by the security disturbance and facing food shortages, by district and village, as reported by local sources on 12 October 2026.
| District | Village / group | People affected |
| Telenggeme | Telenggeme | 427 |
| Telenggeme | Kimunuk | 351 |
| Telenggeme | Kimugu | 232 |
| Telenggeme | Kage | 265 |
| Telenggeme subtotal | 1,275 | |
| Kembu | Nugari | 365 |
| Kembu | Kobon | 240 |
| Kembu | Kabori | 352 |
| Kembu | Agimdek | 230 |
| Kembu | Wulinaga | 260 |
| Kembu | Mamit | 1,600 |
| Kembu | Mamit Sub-district | 221 |
| Kembu | Kenane | 421 |
| Kembu | Aworera | 240 |
| Kembu | Tiga | 632 |
| Kembu | Yowo | 432 |
| Kembu subtotal | 4,993 | |
| Gundagi | Wamili | 321 |
| Gundagi | Nangka | 236 |
| Gundagi | Wamolo | 420 |
| Gundagi | Yuko | 473 |
| Gundagi | Gundagi | 348 |
| Gundagi | Bible School pupils | 185 |
| Gundagi subtotal | 1,983 | |
| Total | 8,251 |
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2) Moi Indigenous Clan block Palm Oil Company over alleged damage to ancestral burial site
Nuevaterra Mambor October 14, 2026
Sorong, Jubi – Indigenous Moi people from the Klagilit Maburu/Mawera clan blocked access to palm oil company PT Inti Kebun Sejahtera (IKS) in Klasof Village, Moisegen District, Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua, on Tuesday (13/10/2026), in protest against the alleged destruction of their ancestral burial site.
The clan alleges the company damaged the burial site in August 2026 and planted about 18 oil palm trees in the surrounding area without its permission or consent.
Esau Klagilit, a representative of the clan, said the alleged damage was a serious concern for the community because the burial site was closely connected to its ancestral heritage, identity and customary land.
“We demand that PT IKS immediately cease all activities on the Klagilit clan’s customary land. We also urge the company to remove the approximately 18 oil palm trees planted without our permission and consent,” Esau said.
The clan is also seeking compensation from the company over the alleged damage.
“Customary land and ancestral burial sites cannot be treated arbitrarily without the permission and consent of the customary rights holders,” he said.
Esau said the burial site was more than a place where ancestors were laid to rest. He described it as an important part of the clan’s history, identity and connection to its ancestral land.
“We want this matter to be resolved openly and with dignity. The rights of Indigenous people must be respected, ancestral burial sites must be honoured, and the losses we have suffered must be addressed,” he said.
Esau said the blockade was also intended to oppose company activities the clan believes have infringed on its customary rights.
Jubi is seeking comment from PT IKS regarding the allegations, the planting of oil palm trees near the burial site and the clan’s demands. (*)
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3) Suspect arbitrarily detained and beaten during police custody in Nabire
On 6 October 2026, Mr Petrus Gobai was taken into police custody in Nabire Town, Nabire Regency, Central Papua province, and subsequently held at the Nabire District Police headquarters for more than 30 hours. According to Mr Gobai, police officers beat him during detention and forced him to remove his clothes. He was later released later wearing only his underwear. His family further alleged that several of his personal belongings were not returned. The Nabire District Police have disputed key elements of this account, denying that police officers assaulted Gobai and stating that he left the police station wearing shorts rather than underwear.
According to the family’s account, Mr Gobai had been travelling by motorcycle on the night of 6 October when the vehicle ran out of petrol near the Koteka Monument, close to the Nabire District Police compound. He reportedly approached police officers for assistance around 11:00 pm but was instead taken into custody. His family alleges that he was beaten, stripped of his clothes and held for 32 hours without food before being released shortly before the morning roll call.
The family subsequently reported visible injuries, including scratches to his temple, bruising to his head and spine, and minor injuries to his hands and fingers. The family began contacting the Nabire District Police on 8 October to obtain information about the incident and the whereabouts of Gobai’s belongings.
The Nabire District Police have provided a substantially different account. Deputy Chief Kompol Henri Alfredo Korwa stated that Nabire District Police officers who were conducting patrols took him into custody following reports that a young man was consuming alcohol near the park in front of the Central Papua Provincial Parliament building. Police stated that Mr Gobai was subsequently transferred to the Nabire District Police because he remained intoxicated and was released in the morning of 8 October 2026. The police denied that violence occurred during his detention and rejected the allegation that he had been released wearing only underwear, maintaining that he was wearing shorts.
On 9 October 2026, Mr Gobai officially filed a complaint regarding the incident to the Professional Standards Unit (Propam) of the Central Papua Regional Police. On 10 October, accompanied by members of his family and with legal assistance from the Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Papua), Mr Gobai also lodged a police report through the Integrated Police Service Centre (SPKT) of the Central Papua Regional Police for a criminal investigation (see photo on top, Source: LBH Papua). The family has demanded clarification regarding the legal basis for Gobai’s apprehension and detention, the identity and responsibility of the officers involved, the alleged beating and removal of his clothing, the alleged failure to provide him with food, and the circumstances in which he was released. They have also demanded the return of his clothing, wallet, and the motorcycle which police officers seized during detention.
Human rights and legal analysis
Indonesia’s Criminal Procedure Code under Law No. 20 of 2025, which has been in force since 2 January 2026, provides that an arrest may last no longer than 1 x 24 hours. Continued deprivation of liberty beyond the arrest period requires lawful detention in accordance with the separate statutory requirements governing detention. Investigators may order detention for longer periods where the substantive and procedural conditions prescribed by law are satisfied.
If Mr Petrus Gobai was kept at the police detention facility for approximately 32 hours without being informed of an alleged criminal offence or without the necessary arrest and detention documentation, this would raise serious questions regarding compliance with domestic criminal procedure and Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects individuals against arbitrary arrest and detention. The authorities should therefore disclose the precise legal status under which Mr Gobai was held, the grounds for any arrest or detention, the relevant warrants or detention orders, and the officers or units exercising custody over him.
The allegations concerning beating, forced stripping, deprivation of food and release in a state of undress engage the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment under Article 7 ICCPR, as well as the requirement under Article 10(1) ICCPR that all persons deprived of their liberty be treated with humanity and respect for their inherent dignity. Indonesia is also a State party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), which it ratified through Law No. 5 of 1998. Forced stripping, physical assault or deliberate deprivation of basic necessities may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment depending on the circumstances. The reported injuries should therefore be documented promptly through an independent medical examination for further forensic purposes.
Detailed Case Data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-148-2026
Location: Nabire, Nabire Regency, Central Papua, Indonesia (-3.3722254, 135.5016253)
Region: Indonesia > Central Papua > Nabire > Nabire
Total number of victims: 1
Document ID: HRM-CAS-148-2026
Location: Nabire, Nabire Regency, Central Papua, Indonesia (-3.3722254, 135.5016253)
Region: Indonesia > Central Papua > Nabire > Nabire
Total number of victims: 1
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Petrus Gobai | male | adult | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary detention, ill-treatment |
Related Cases:
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4) Two indigenous Papuans allegedly detained and forcibly disappeared during security operation in Dekai
On 12 October 2026, security force members allegedly apprehended two indigenous civilians named Mr Ernes Wepsa, 27, and Mr Natan Well, 18, in the Kali Merah area, Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands Province, during an early-morning security operation near the GIDI Sion Church. Mr Natan Well is a third-year student at SMK Negeri 1 Dekai. Witness and family accounts allege that the two men were subjected to physical abuse.
They were subsequently taken from the area and their whereabouts remained unknown as of 13 October 2026. Bloodstains were reportedly found near the residence, which had been left ransacked (see photos below, source: independent HRD). The circumstances raise serious concerns regarding arbitrary deprivation of liberty, torture or other ill-treatment, and possible enforced disappearance.
According to residents and relatives, a motorbike arrived at the residence at approximately 02:30 am and left shortly afterwards. At around 02:40 am, security personnel arrived in three vehicles. Security personnel entered a civilian residence at approximately 02:50 am. At around 03:00 am, Mr Ernes Wepsa and Mr Natan Well were reportedly apprehended. Following their arrest, residents heard nine gunshots. The two men were then allegedly removed from the area. The family subsequently reported finding blood traces near the residence and signs that the house had been searched (see photo on top and bottom, source: independent HRD).
Later that morning, relatives searched for them at the Yahukimo Regency Police Headquarters, a local police station and several military posts in and around Dekai, but received no information about their whereabouts. Personnel at the Halabok military post reportedly acknowledged conducting a patrol that morning but denied knowing where the two detainees were taken.
Human rights and legal analysis
The alleged deprivation of liberty followed by the authorities’ failure to disclose the victims’ whereabouts engages Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects against arbitrary arrest and detention. If State agents took Mr Ernes Wepsa and Mr Natan Well into custody and subsequently refused to acknowledge their detention or concealed their fate or whereabouts, the circumstances could amount to an enforced disappearance. Such conduct places several non-derogable rights at particular risk, including the rights to life, recognition before the law and freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The allegation that security personnel assaulted and ill-treated the two men engages Article 7 ICCPR and Indonesia’s obligations under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). Indonesia acceded to the ICCPR in 2006 and ratified CAT in 1998. If the alleged violence was intentionally inflicted by public officials for purposes such as obtaining information, punishment, intimidation or coercion, the conduct may satisfy the international definition of torture. Even where that specific purpose cannot be established, deliberate physical abuse of persons under the control of State agents may constitute prohibited cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The allegations of severe violence, gunfire, blood traces and subsequent concealment of the victims’ whereabouts create a credible risk of a potentially unlawful death requiring an immediate, effective and independent investigation. Should either victim be found deceased, the investigation should comply with the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death (2016), including preservation of the scene, independent forensic examination and investigation of both direct and superior responsibility.
The reported arrest also raises concerns under Indonesian criminal procedure. Law No. 20 of 2025 on the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) has been in force since 2 January 2026. Articles 94 and 95 provide, among other safeguards, that an arrest must be based on at least two items of evidence and that investigators must show their official assignment and provide the suspect with an arrest warrant containing the suspect’s identity, the reason for arrest, a brief description of the alleged offence and the place of examination. A copy must ordinarily be provided to the family or another designated person within one day. The warrant requirement does not apply where a person is caught in flagrante delicto.
Article 96 generally limits arrest to 1 x 24 hours, unless otherwise provided by law. No information presently available indicates that Mr Ernes Wepsa or Mr Natan Well were caught committing an offence, informed of criminal allegations against them, shown an arrest order or brought before a competent investigative authority. If the family accounts are confirmed, the operation would therefore raise serious questions of compliance with Indonesian criminal procedure as well as international human rights law.
Mr Ernes Wepsa (left) and Mr Natan Well (right)
This video was reportedly recorded at the raid site in Dekai shortly after security forces arbitrarily detained Mr Ernes Wepsa and Mr Natan Well
Detailed Case Data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-147-2026
Location: 4FPM+FFH, Massi, Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua 99571, Indonesia (-4.8638158, 139.4837298) Kali Merah
Region: Indonesia > Highland Papua > Yahukimo > Dekai
Total number of victims: 2
Document ID: HRM-CAS-147-2026
Location: 4FPM+FFH, Massi, Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua 99571, Indonesia (-4.8638158, 139.4837298) Kali Merah
Region: Indonesia > Highland Papua > Yahukimo > Dekai
Total number of victims: 2
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Ernes Wepsa | male | 27 | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary detention, disappearance |
| 2. | 1 | Natan Well | male | 18 | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary detention, disappearance |
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces
Issues: indigenous peoples, security force violence
Related Cases:
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