1) Is Indonesia’s Gibran being ‘exiled’ to Papua? New assignment sparks whispers
The public is speculating about President Prabowo Subianto’s reason for assigning the vice president to handle the restive region
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Resty Woro Yuniar
Published: 8:11pm, 18 Jul 2025
President Prabowo Subianto’s decision to assign Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka responsibility for Papua has fuelled speculation that he is being politically sidelined under the guise of a development mission to Indonesia’s most restive region.
Gibran will have his hands full in trying to bring about lasting peace in Papua, as he has to build trust with tribal communities, including separatist factions, while obeying directives from the capital, according to analysts.
Resource-rich but underdeveloped, Papua remains Indonesia’s poorest region despite hosting major investments, including the Grasberg mine – one of the world’s largest gold and copper operations, run by PT Freeport Indonesia. Six Papuan provinces ranked among the nation’s 10 poorest last year, with inequality and a lack of infrastructure persisting in its mountainous interior.
The Indonesian government has been embroiled in a decades-long conflict with separatist rebels in Papua, dating back to the early 1960s when Indonesia annexed Papua from its former Dutch coloniser. Papua officially became part of Indonesia in 1969 after a UN-sponsored referendum, which resulted in voters in the region favouring integration. Insurgents, however, have claimed over the years that the outcome was fraudulent as the Indonesian military allegedly intimidated voters before polling.
On July 2, Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra announced that Gibran would be given a “special assignment” focused on accelerating development in Papua. He said there was a “possibility” the vice-president would work directly in the region.
“The government [is concerned] about how to handle [the issues] in Papua. In the last few days, there has been a discussion to give a special assignment … to the vice-president to accelerate the development of Papua,” Yusril said.
2) West Papua: 27 years since the Biak massacre, the oppression continues
Kerry Smith July 18, 2025 Issue 1434 World
July 6 marked 27 years since the Biak Massacre in 1998, when 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.
No Indonesian security force member has ever been charged or brought to justice for the human rights abuses committed against the peaceful demonstrators
Activists and local people started gathering beneath the water tower on July 2 in 1998, singing songs and holding traditional dances. As the rally continued, many more people in the area joined in with numbers reaching up to 500.
Indonesian security forces attacked the demonstrators on July 6, massacring scores of people.
The Australian West Papua Association’s Joe Collins said: "27 years later, the human rights situation in West Papua continues to deteriorate.
“West Papuan people continue to be arrested, intimated and killed by the security forces. There are ongoing clashes between the TPNPB [West Papua National Liberation Army] and the Indonesian security forces with casualties on both sides. As a result of these clashes, the Indonesian security forces carry out sweeps in the area causing local people to flee in fear for their lives. It’s the internal refugees bearing the brunt of the conflict.”
Human Rights Monitor reported in its June update that there were more than 97,721 people in West Papua internally displaced as a result of armed conflict between Indonesian security forces and the TPNPB.
Human Rights Watch reported in May that renewed fighting between the security forces and the TPNPB was threatening civilians.
As the West Papuan people struggle for their right to self-determination, they face great challenges, from the ongoing human rights abuses to the destruction of their environment.
However, support for knowledge of the West Papuan struggle continues to grow, particularly among the people of the Pacific region. Some governments in the region are wavering in their support and Jakarta is targeting Pacific leaders with aid, to convince them to stop supporting the West Papuan struggle.
Civil society and church groups continue to raise awareness of the West Papuan situation at the United Nations and at international human rights conferences.
Collins said: "The West Papuan people are not going to give up their struggle for self-determination. It is time for the countries in the region, including Australia, to take the issue seriously. Raising the ongoing human rights abuses with Jakarta would be a small start.”
On the night of 12 July 2025, joint security forces consisting of Navy’s Marine Corps, Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob), and the local police raided the secretariat of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Dekai, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, and arbitrarily arrested the four KNPB members, Mr Sinduk Enggalim, Mr Deko Kobak, Mr Hulu Amosoho, and Mr Ronal Kobak. The four activists were subjected to severe physical abuse during and after their arrest, amounting to torture. They were released two days later, on 14 July 2025, in a physically injured state and without charges filed against them.
On 12 July 2025, at 10:35 pm, police forces arrived at the KNPB office in a patrol vehicle and remained parked on the main road for approximately 20 minutes. At 10:55 pm, joint security forces entered the KNPB office compound. Three police officers approached two activists sitting on the veranda, followed by dozens of Brimob and military personnel. Security forces entered the building and started searching the office while devastating the interior. Witnesses reported hearing cries of pain from inside the secretariat.
The four activists were then apprehended, their hands bound behind their backs, their eyes blindfolded with duct tape, and loaded onto a military vehicle. The activists testified they were severely beaten while en route to the Koramil military post, causing two of them to urinate involuntarily. Upon arrival, they were thrown onto the ground and subjected to a six-hour torture session that included burning of skin, electrocutions, beatings with hard objects to the head and body, and being submerged in drums filled with water, in an attempt to force confessions regarding alleged affiliations with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). Mr Hulu Amosoho was separated from the group and tortured in isolation.
On 13 July 2025, around 06:00 am, they were transferred to the Yahukimo Police Station, where the torture continued. Police officers reportedly burned their hair and beards. Despite a subsequent visit to the hospital, only minimal treatment was provided following instructions from military personnel. All four were released on 14 July 2025, at 3:00 pm, due to the lack of incriminating evidence.
Legal and human rights analysis
The arrest and detention of the four activists constitute grave violations of international human rights law, including the prohibition of torture under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), to which Indonesia is a party. The arrest was carried out without a warrant, at night, and in the absence of any visible or declared legal basis, violating Article 18 of Indonesia’s own Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which mandates due process safeguards.
Moreover, the involvement of military personnel in civilian law enforcement, particularly in the arbitrary arrest and inhumane treatment of political activists, further constitutes a breach of the principle of civilian supremacy and violates Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to liberty and security of person.
The prolonged incommunicado detention, denial of access to legal counsel and family members, and the lack of judicial oversight strongly suggest the presence of enforced disappearance-like practices during the initial hours of detention.
The Indonesian government is obliged under international human rights law to launch an independent investigation into acts of torture and arbitrary arrest committed by state agents, ensuring that those responsible will face criminal prosecution. The Indonesian Government should refrain from the use of military personnel in civilian law enforcement roles, particularly against political actors. All victims of arbitrary arrest and torture must receive comprehensive medical treatment, psychosocial support, and reparations, including compensation and rehabilitation in accordance with international standards.
Table of KNPB activists arrested and tortured during police detention in Dekai on 12 July 2025
A new documentary 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 fields and sugarcane plantations, backed by heavy equipment and military presence. Indigenous communities report land seizures without giving their free, prior informed consent (FPIC), while military forces secure the project areas, underscoring the militarisation of development in West Papua.
The film highlights growing resistance from indigenous Malind communities, who reject all forms of corporate investment on their customary lands. In March 2025, over 250 participants at the ‘Merauke Solidarity’ forum condemned the PSN as a corporate-driven initiative that disregards indigenous rights and causes irreversible environmental harm. The project has already triggered deforestation, water contamination, and loss of livelihoods. A government decree has allowed the conversion of more than 13,000 hectares of forest, including protected areas and peatlands, raising serious concerns about Indonesia’s climate commitments.
Despite widespread protests and criticism, government officials, including President Prabowo Subianto, continue to promote the Merauke food estate as a modern agricultural hub. The project aligns with broader patterns of repression across West Papua, where opposition is met with violence and intimidation. Since August 2024, demonstrations against PSN and transmigration have faced heavy-handed crackdowns, reflecting a national strategy that prioritises economic interests over indigenous survival.
The documentary serves as a timely and urgent record of these developments, revealing the complex interplay between state power, corporate interests, and indigenous resistance. It underscores the need for international scrutiny and intervention, warning that the unchecked expansion of PSN projects will exacerbate land conflicts, environmental destruction, and cultural extinction in West Papua.
3) The West Papuan Legislative Council Has Held Its Inaugural Meeting in Jayapura
BY PAUL GREGOIRE PUBLISHED ON 17 JUL 2025
The 5 July 2025 inauguration of the West Papuan Legislative Council in West Papua’s Jayapura City “marked the rebirth of the West Papuan state”, remarked United Liberation Movement West Papua president Benny Wenda in a 10 July 2025 statement, adding that the globe “should respect” that it has “fulfilled all international requirements to be recognised as a government-in-waiting”.
These bounds towards independence, however, have also seen an intensification of Indonesian military attacks on occupied West Papuans, which began on villages in Nduga Regency, and continues to the present day, while the inauguration of alleged habitual war crimes perpetrator Prabowo Subianto as Indonesian president last year neither bodes well for the Melanesian region.
But as ULMWP Legislative Council chair Buchtar Tabuni led thousands of West Papuans, who’d just attended the first session of the West Papuan Legislative Council held in Jayapura City, in a procession through the main streets of one of the nation of West Papua’s largest cities, the message was clear: West Papua now has a government-in-waiting, and it does not want to wait too long.
A nation-in-waiting
“We have now completed our internal structure, implementing democracy even before winning independence,” said ULMWP president Benny Wenda, who currently lives in exile. “The world should respect the fact that we have fulfilled all international requirements to be recognised as a government-in-waiting,”
“We have our own provisional government, cabinet, laws, constitution and Green State Vision for a liberated West Papua,” the president-in-waiting continued, as he noted the commitment an independent West Papua has made to becoming a truly green state. “We also have a network of diplomatic representatives around the world, ready to engage with international diplomats.”
In the lead up to the Netherland colonisers 1962 departure, the West New Guinea Council, which was made up of West Papuans, celebrated their nation’s coming independence on 1 December 1961, Wenda recalled, with the raising of the Morning Star flag, and diplomats from the UK, France, Papua New Guinea, Australia and the Netherlands all bore witness to the ceremony.
As Wenda explains the roll out of the Legislative Council finishes the process of actualising an entire Indigenous government on the ground, which commenced with the first meeting of the West Papuan congress in November 2023.
This finishes the establishment of the legislative framework for an independent West Papua, as well as produces a body to legitimise this point on the global stage.
“With the 2020 provisional government, we built a legitimate governance structure and declared Indonesian presence in West Papua to be illegal,” Wenda underscored.
“With this inauguration, we have deepened our sovereignty on the ground. The ULMWP is now present at every level of West Papuan life.”
Never any choice
As it was leaving West Papua, the Netherlands handed control of the territory to the United Nations, as per the 1962 New York Agreement, and then in May 1963, it passed on interim administration to Indonesia, another country that had been colonised by the Dutch, who’d left in 1949. This handover was done on the basis that Jakarta let the West Papuans hold a referendum on independence.
Indonesia then held the 1969 UN-brokered “Act of Free Choice”, which saw the Indonesian military select 1,026 West Papuans to take part in, and via threat of gunpoint, they all voted to remain with Jakarta. So, the New York Agreement was never honoured, a fraud vote occurred and the 1.8 million West Papuans, or 70 percent of the population, who signed the petition, want a real referendum.
Since 1 May 1963, Jakarta has killed over half a million West Papuans, and, as Indonesia has been running a transmigration program into the Melanesian region since the 1970s, the 90 percent of the population that the locals, the West Papuans, had made up at that time, has now dropped down to comprising of less than 50 percent of the people living in the region.
The attacks on villages and displacement of local West Papuans has picked up since 2018, and this has been accompanied by the construction of the Trans-Papua Road project, which is a highway needlessly being rolled out that harms the West Papuan landscape and people. The attacks on people in the highlands and coastal regions across the nation of West Papua continue to this day.
The real choice awaits
Former Kopassus general and now Indonesian president Prabowo has a notorious reputation for the brutal manner in which he carried out operations in the former colony of East Timor and the continuing colony of West Papua.
But so too has the West Papuan Legislative Council just met for the first time under Prabowo’s watch, and Wenda points out that for the United Liberation Movement of West Papua to be recognised as legitimate on the international stage has precedent, and he raised the Vanuatu People’s provisional government and the Palestine Liberation Organisation as examples of this.
ULMWP Legislative Council chair Tabuni said a fortnight ago that the 5 July plenary council meeting was an “historical milestone” that involved “the formation of a legitimate and representative legislative structure”, which has “strengthened the foundation of our government, as a nation ready for sovereignty”.
“The ULMWP is ready to play that role,” Wenda underscored. “We are ready to take our seat at the table, to help find a diplomatic political solution to the West Papuan issue through international political mechanisms.”
PAUL GREGOIRE
Paul Gregoire is a Sydney-based journalist and writer. He's the winner of the 2021 NSW Council for Civil Liberties Award For Excellence In Civil Liberties Journalism. Prior to Sydney Criminal Lawyers®, Paul wrote for VICE and was the news editor at Sydney’s City Hub.
1) West Papua National Committee Rejects VP Gibran Rakabuming's Papua Assignment
Reporter Eka Yudha Saputra
July 13, 2025 | 07:24 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) rejected Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's assignment to handle development and human rights issues in Papua.
Warpo Sampari Wetipo, Chairperson of KNPB Central, called President Prabowo Subianto's mandate to Gibran "mere publicity." He considered the assignment to resolve issues in Papua as an old song being played repeatedly by the Indonesian government.
"This kind of mandate makes the people and fighters of Papua very fed up and is considered an old song that's continuously replayed, as if the government is serious, when in fact it's all nonsense," Warpo told Tempo on July 11, 2025.
In addition to rejecting Gibran's assignment, KNPB also condemned several Prabowo cabinet ministers for running programs that do not directly benefit the people of Papua.
"We assess that a number of development projects and programs in health, education, and the recruitment of executives from six provinces in Papua are unproductive," Warpo said. "The government intentionally recruits them to be puppets so that the people of Papua live and die in the hands of Jakarta's game."
Rather than sending Gibran to Papua, Warpo said that KNPB urged the Indonesian government to initiate a dialogue involving the United Nations or other international parties considered neutral and acceptable to both sides.
TPNPB-OPM Also Rejects Gibran's Appointment
The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM) also expressed rejection of Gibran's assignment. Sebby Sambom, spokesperson for TPNPB-OPM, questioned Gibran's qualifications to handle Papua's issues.
According to Sebby, instead of assigning Gibran, he asked Prabowo to form a team under his cabinet to negotiate with groups in Papua. He stated that appointing Gibran to address development and human rights issues in Papua is merely a stunt by the Indonesian government for the international community.
"We view Gibran's appointment to Papua as a mistake by the Indonesian government in resolving the conflict in Papua," he said yesterday.
Gibran Ready for Assignment
In response, Gibran Rakabuming stated his readiness to carry out the specific assignment from Prabowo to handle Papua. He did not even rule out the possibility of working directly in Papua, noting that such an assignment has existed since Vice President Ma'ruf Amin's term.
"As an assistant to the president, I am ready to be assigned anywhere, anytime, and at the moment we are waiting for the next order," Gibran said when met during a working visit to Klaten Regency, Central Java, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
The VP stopped short of providing a clear answer regarding his departure schedule or when he would start his duty in Papua. However, he affirmed his readiness to be assigned anytime, even if the president's formal decision has not been announced yet.
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2) 23rd Melanesian Spearhead group (MSG) communique.
3) New Caledonia’s political parties commit to 'historic' deal in France
6:36 am today
Patrick Decloitre, Correspondent French Pacific Desk
New Caledonia's pro-and-anti-independence parties committed on Saturday to a "historic" deal regarding the future political status of the French Pacific territory, which is set to become, for the first time, a "State' within the French realm.
The 13-page agreement, officially entitled "Agreement Project of the Future of New Caledonia", is the result of a solid 10 days of harsh negotiations between both pro and anti-independence parties who have stayed, under closed doors, at a hotel in the small city of Bougival, in the outskirts of Paris.
The talks were convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, after an earlier series of talks, held between February and May 2025, failed to yield an agreement.
After opening the talks on 2 July 2025, Macron handed over them to his Minister for Overseas, Manuel Valls, to oversee. Valls managed to bring together all parties around the same table earlier this year.
In his opening speech earlier this month, Macron insisted on the need to restore New Caledonia's economy, which was brought to its knees following destructive and deadly riots that erupted in May 2024.
He said France was ready to study any solution, including an "associated State" for New Caledonia………………….
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM) has denied a statement by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) claiming that four of its members pledged allegiance to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
TPNPB-OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom said the four individuals in question are not part of their group but are junior high school students at Sinak Public Middle School in Puncak Regency, Papua.
"The truth is that the four youths are students at SMP Negeri 1 Sinak. They are not our members," he said in a statement issued Saturday, July 12, 2025.
The denial was issued after TPNPB received a report from Deputy Commander of Defense Regional Command (Kodap) XXVII Sinak, Major General Teni Kulua, regarding the incident.
According to the report, four youths were detained by Koramil 1717-02/Sinak personnel and later said to have pledged loyalty to Republic of Indonesia.
The individuals named were Yopi Tabuni, Erenus Tabuni, Kilistus Murib, and Endan Tabuni. They were reportedly associated with the group led by Tenius Kulua and Kalenak Murib.
The oath-taking ceremony took place in the courtyard of the Koramil 1717-02/Sinak office on Wednesday, July 9. During the event, the four individuals took an oath, signed documents, and saluted the Indonesian flag as a symbol of rejoining the nation.
However, Sebby Sambom presented a different account, including names and ages. According to him, the individuals are Eden Tabuni (17), a third-year student; Eranus Tabuni (18), in second year; Yopi Tabuni (17), also in second year; and Kilitus Murib (12), in first year at SMPN 1 Sinak.
He stated that none of them appear in the membership records of Kodap XXVII Sinak, whether at the post, battalion, company, or headquarters level.
TPNPB accused the TNI of fabricating the incident to maintain a favorable image in Papua and justify operational funding. They urged military personnel stationed in the region to stop spreading misinformation.
"Stop deceiving the public, even deceiving the President and the TNI Commander," Sebby said.
Tempo reached out to TNI Chief of Information Major General Kristomei Sianturi and Head of Information for the Cenderawasih Regional Military Command Infantry Colonel Candra Kurniawan, but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Previously, Kristomei confirmed that the four individuals were members of TPNPB-OPM. "Yes, they are," he said in a statement on Thursday night.
Kristomei described the event as part of a humanistic and dialog-based effort to resolve conflict in Papua. "The TNI carries out its duties by upholding the principles of legality, caution, and protection of civilians," he said.
He also emphasized that anyone who abandons violence deserves support to build a peaceful and dignified future in Papua. "We always welcome anyone who wants to return to the embrace of the motherland," he added.
Separately, Chief of the Cartenz Peace Operation, Brigadier General Police Faizal Ramadhani, said the return of former OPM members to NKRI was the result of collective efforts.
"The return to the embrace of NKRI is not a stand-alone process, but the result of synergy from all elements – security forces, government, and local figures. We believe that a safe and prosperous Papua can be realized through an approach that touches the heart," Faizal said in an official statement on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
2) Peace task force distributes staple goods in C Papua
July 13, 2025 00:24 GMT+700
Jayapura (ANTARA) - Members of the Cartenz Peace Task Force 2025 distributed staple necessities to residents during a patrol in Omukia, Puncak district, Central Papua province.
“The packages we delivered contain basic goods such as rice, sugar, instant noodles, coffee, cooking oil, and tea. We hope these items will benefit the residents,” head of operations for the task force, Police Brigadier General Faizal Rahmadani, informed in Jayapura, Papua, on Saturday.
He added that the activity was conducted by the task force members to build rapport with locals, while carrying out their primary duty of ensuring security and maintaining order in the region.
The goods delivered, he said, are proof that the state genuinely cares for the people.
He also highlighted that the patrol in Omukia went smoothly, and the locals enthusiastically welcomed the personnel and received the assistance.
“Hopefully, our intensive patrols and dialogues with locals will lead to lasting security and order in the region,” Rahmadani added.
1) Indonesian VP Gibran prepares for Papua role as pressure grows for peace talks
The law tasks the Vice President with overseeing the coordination, evaluation and harmonisation of autonomy and development programs in the country’s easternmost province.
The Jakarta Post
uly 11, 2025
JAKARTA – Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has affirmed his readiness to oversee development and address ongoing human rights issues in Papua, as he prepares to lead the Special Autonomy Acceleration Board in accordance with existing legal mandates.
Coordinating Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Correctional Services Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra revealed recently that President Prabowo Subianto is finalizing Gibran’s assignment to lead a special body mandated by the 2021 Papua Special Autonomy Law.
The law tasks the Vice President with overseeing the coordination, evaluation and harmonization of autonomy and development programs in the country’s easternmost province.
“As the President’s aide, I am ready to serve anywhere, anytime,” Gibran told reporters during a visit to Klaten Regency, Central Java, on Wednesday, adding that the same assignment was previously held by his predecessor, Ma’ruf Amin.
While President Prabowo has yet to issue a formal decree, Gibran said his office has already taken initiative by dispatching teams to Sorong in West Papua and Merauke in South Papua to assess local needs, deliver school supplies and laptops as well as evaluate the implementation of the government’s free meal program.
When asked whether he would establish an office in Papua, Gibran said he was open to working from any location, be it Jakarta, Papua, or Nusantara in East Kalimantan, the country’s future capital where the Vice Presidential Palace is currently under construction.
“It’s important for me to regularly visit the regions, engage with business actors, listen to input, accept criticism and conduct evaluations. Being able to work from anywhere and connect with the people, that’s what truly matters,” the 37-year-old added.
Presidential spokesperson and State Secretary Hadi Prasetyo emphasized on Wednesday that Gibran’s assignment to Papua stems from a legal mandate, not a new initiative.
“We want to clarify that it is not accurate to say the President has [personally] assigned the task to Gibran, as the law clearly mandates that the Vice President is responsible for coordinating Papua’s development,” Prasetyo said.
He further explained that while Gibran will not be permanently based in Papua, the Special Autonomy Acceleration Board’s secretariat and operational staff will be stationed there. However, the Vice President may frequently visit or temporarily take up office in Papua as needed.
“It will not be a problem [for the Vice President] to occasionally visit, lead coordinating meetings or even temporarily work from Papua,” Prasetyo added.
Soldiers from the Indonesian Army’s 112th Raider Infantry Battalion secure a ceremony at a military base in Japakeh, Aceh, on June 25, 2024, ahead of their deployment to Papua. (AFP/Chaideer Mahyuddin)
Papua, rich in natural resources, has experienced conflict between separatist groups and security forces since the 1970s, with tensions escalating sharply since 2018 as pro-independence armed groups increased attacks.
Many critics argue that the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) heavy presence in the region has further deepened the crisis.
While the Vice President’s presence in Papua may lend symbolic weight to government efforts to maintain stability, human rights groups emphasize that real progress requires a shift from security-focused policies to inclusive, rights-based governance.
Amnesty International Indonesia has urged the government to prioritize peaceful dialogue and ensure that Papuan voices are central to developing solutions.
“Dialogue is the most rational and humane path forward,” said Amnesty’s Executive Director Usman Hamid on Wednesday, stressing that as long as the government continues a militaristic approach and fails to uphold human rights, the conflict will persist.
This view is echoed by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM), which demands that the President “form a negotiation team to sit at the table with us.”
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Humanitarian activist from Wamena, Papua, Yefta Lengka, has questioned Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's ability to resolve the ongoing violent conflict in Papua.
Yefta, who assists refugees in Nduga, said Gibran lacks the necessary experience to mediate the protracted violence between the Indonesian military and pro-independence groups.
"Gibran is still young and needs a lot of conflict resolution experience," said Yefta, a staff member of the Papua Justice and Integrity Foundation, when contacted on Friday, July 11, 2025.
Yefta also voiced skepticism over Gibran's ability to address human rights issues, particularly the displacement caused by clashes between security forces and separatist groups.
He expressed concern over whether Gibran is equipped to deal with the root causes of the Papua conflict as outlined by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), now integrated into the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).
Those four root issues include the historical and political debate over Papua’s integration with Indonesia, the prevalence of violence and human rights abuses, systemic discrimination against Papuans, and the persistent failure of development efforts in the region.
"The resolution of Papua's problems will not be effective and will not be resolved when Gibran leads," Yefta said.
According to him, the responsibility should not fall solely on the vice president. Yefta believes President Prabowo Subianto should personally take charge of resolving the conflict and end military operations in Papua. He also called for the government to prioritize peaceful dialogue with pro-independence factions.
Just two days earlier, John Bunay, coordinator of the Papuan Pastors, also expressed doubts about Gibran’s capability to handle the Papua issue.
He noted that even President Joko Widodo, despite multiple visits to the region and his appointment of former Vice President Ma’ruf Amin as head of the Papua Special Autonomy Acceleration Steering Committee (BP3OKP), failed to deliver a lasting solution.
In response, Vice President Gibran stated that he is ready to carry out the mandate given by President Prabowo and remains open to input from the Papuan community.
"As an assistant to the president, I am ready to be assigned wherever and whenever," Gibran said during a working visit to Klaten Regency, Central Java, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
3) Indonesia nabs eight Papuan KKB members linked to teacher’s killing
July 12, 2025 00:18 GMT+700
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Eight suspected members of a Papuan armed criminal group (KKB) have been arrested by Indonesia's Cartenz Peace Task Force in connection with a deadly attack on civilians earlier this year.
The March 21 attack, which occurred in the Anggruk region of Yahukimo district, Highland Papua, targeted teachers and health workers, killing one teacher and injuring six others.
The arrests took place in Dekai, also in Yahukimo district, on Friday, according to Brigadier General Faizal Rahmadani, chief of operations at the Cartenz Task Force. He said the suspects are now undergoing intensive questioning.
Rahmadani said the eight suspects are believed to be members of the “Eden Sawi Yali” Battalion, led by Ohion Helembo, also known as Bapa Simpan. The battalion is reportedly affiliated with a larger insurgent network headed by Elkius Kobak.
Three of the suspects, identified by the initials AP, DH, and NS, have been formally named in the case. The remaining five are still under investigation.
"The Cartenz Peace Task Force will continue to take firm action and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice," Rahmadani stated.
In recent years, armed separatist groups in Papua have stepped up their use of hit-and-run tactics against security forces and carried out violent attacks on civilians to instill fear among local communities.
Their targets have included construction workers, teachers, motorcycle taxi drivers, vendors, and even civilian aircraft.
In one high-profile case, New Zealand pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens was taken hostage by the Egianus Kogoya-led armed group after landing his Susi Air plane in Papua’s Nduga district on February 7, 2023. He was held captive for over a year before being released in September 2024.
4) YKKMP Accompanies the Repatriation of Tangma Refugees, Residents Hold Prayer and Stone Burning
Author : AdminEditor : Angela Flassy
Jayapura, Jubi – A team from the Papuan Justice and Human Integrity Foundation (YKKMP) arrived at the refugee camp in the courtyard of Kingmi Yeriko Halihalo Church, Yeleas Village, Tangma District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Mountains Province, on Thursday (July 10, 2025) at 1:30 PM. They facilitated the repatriation procession of hundreds of refugees to their respective villages, which began with a communal prayer and concluded with a traditional stone burning as a form of gratitude and reconciliation between residents and local community leaders.
"We held the stone burning so they could return to their respective villages, cultivate their gardens, and resume their normal activities," said Hesegem in a press release received by Jubi on Friday (July 11, 2025).
This traditional ceremony was held to mark the end of any exchange of fire between the TNI and the TPNPB within the village.
"Therefore, in the future, no community should accept the TPNPB-OPM and TNI groups in the Tangma area. If you want to fight, do it in the forests! Not in the village, where the community will become victims," he said.
Furthermore, the YKKMP will advocate and engage with policymakers, particularly regarding the withdrawal of non-organic troops from Mount Ongolo, Tangma District, Yahukimo Regency.
The Head of the Tangma Classis, Rev. Yanius Hesegem S.Th., also provided encouragement to the evacuees.
"Our last bastion of safety is the Church. Therefore, we must all be in church. Both the TPNPB-OPM and the TNI. Especially the civilian population in Tangma. If armed conflict occurs, God's people must be in the Church. And pastors must protect the congregation in critical situations," said the Head of the Tangma Classis.
He expressed his gratitude to God's people who have persevered and are willing to persevere in difficult times.
"We as a church also remind and urge God's people to continue growing marijuana, as marijuana is destroying the future of generations in Papua," he said.
On that occasion, a representative of the Student Solidarity Group for Humanity stated that they would also advocate to all parties, both through the media and during demonstrations, to ensure that no more Tangma residents fall victim to armed conflict.
"We also urge the younger generation to refrain from consuming marijuana, including alcohol, drugs, free sex, and narcotics. Our hope is that we will all fight together for health, education, and the economy for a sustainable life," he said.
The head of Yeleas Village, Emmaus Asipalek, expressed his gratitude to God for preventing harm during the operation in his village.
"I also express my gratitude to Theo Hesegem, a human rights defender and team leader, for negotiating and securing the situation. I also express my gratitude to the students and journalists who were always present to ensure and cover the news and ensure our safety," he said.
The YKKMP team officially escorted the evacuees back to their homes. They then erected billboards prohibiting bloodshed and armed clashes in the area.
Previously, a gun battle between the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) occurred on June 15, 2025, in Aruli Hamlet, Yeleas Village, Tangma District, Yahukimo Regency, resulting in two fatalities and triggering a wave of evacuation of approximately 600 residents to the Yeriko Church in Halihalo.
The gun battle, which occurred from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. local time, killed Mesak Asipalek (45), a civilian, due to a gunshot wound to the head, and Prek Sarera, a TPNPB member. The incident sparked fear among residents, causing a quarter of the Tangma District population to seek refuge inside the church complex.
The YKKMP team, led by Theo Hesegem, formed an investigation team and conducted field monitoring since June 17. Hesegem's group traveled to the refugee camps and the conflict site to gather information and assess the condition of the civilian population. (*)
