On 26 January 2025, human rights activist Mrs Tineke Rumkabu attended a worship service at the GIDI Church outpost in Biak, Papua, Indonesia. After the service, around 12:20 pm while she and other church members gathered in the compound, joint security force members arrived and began questioning Mrs Rumkabu about alleged activities related to the Free Papua movement. They presented a photo allegedly showing a meeting in support of political independence. Mrs. Rumkabu firmly denied such activities, asserting that the gathering was solely for worship and fellowship.
Later that afternoon, around 3:00 pm, the officers returned to Mrs Rumkabu’s house in full military gear, with some in civilian clothes (see photo on top, source: independent HRD). Mrs Rumkabu perceived the unannounced visit without providing a reason or official warrant as an act of intimidation. The arbitrary actions of the security forces raised concerns about violations of human rights, particularly the right to safety and freedom from harassment. Their presence in a place of worship and a private residence caused distress and disrupted Mrs Tineke and her community’s sense of security.
This is not the first time that security force members have tried to intimidate Mrs Tineke Rumkabu. She faced intimidation and surveillance by security force members in July 2023, after speaking at the 53rd session of the Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT) in London via Zoom. During this session, she testified about state violence in West Papua during the New Order period and the situation of internally displaced people. Following her testimony, she and her family experienced a series of acts of intimidation. Ms Rumkabu understood the repeated visits by police officers as an attempt to prevent her from advocating for justice and human rights.
The incident highlights the ongoing human rights challenges in West Papua, where activists continue to face intimidation and physical assault. The arbitrary actions of state forces underscore the need for legal protection for human rights defenders in Indonesia.
Detailed Case Data
name of the location: Biak
administrative region: Indonesia, Papua Province, Biak Numfor Regency, Biak Kota
total number of victims: one
period of incident: 26.01.2025
perpetrator: other security forces
perpetrator details: unknown
Issues: freedom of expression, human rights defenders, freedom of peaceful assembly, indigenous peoples
Sources:
Further HRM News:
| Number | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1 | Tineke Rumkabu | female | unknown | indigenous | intimidation |
