Police officers enter residential houses and arrest 21 indigenous Papuans in Dekai without a warrant

Joint security force members of the Damai Cartenz task force searched houses and arbitrarily arrested 21 Papuans in the town of Dekai, Yahukimo Regency, on 16 May 2023. The task force was formed to curb armed separatist groups in West Papua. All arrestees, among them three village chiefs, belong to the indigenous Ngalik Tribe. Representatives of the Papuan Regional Police (Polda Papua) claimed the arrests were related to the investigation of the killing of many non-Papuans, for which the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has already claimed responsibility. According to the relatives, the police did not inform them about the reason for the arrest. Under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a party, the arrests can be deemed arbitrary due to the lack of warrant and failure to inform the reason for the arrest. The arrestees’ relatives emphasised that they are not associated with the TPNPB.

The police raid took place in the Brasa residential area at 2:00 am. The police arrived in Brasa using two minivans and one police truck belonging to the Yahukimo District Police (Polres Yahukimo). The officers broke the front door and entered the houses while the residents were asleep. The arrests were conducted without showing a warrant and without verifying the suspects’ identities. Police officers seized 3.4 million rupiah (about € 210,-), traditional weapons, mobile phones, documents, a camera, computers, gardening tools, and t-shirts with Morning Star emblems, a symbol of cultural identity for indigenous Papuans. None of the personal belongings have been returned to the owners.

Following the arrest, indigenous Ngalik leaders, relatives, and their tribespeople came to the Yahukimo District Police Station (Polres Yahukimo) and demanded information about the allegations against the suspects (see images below, source: independent HRDs). According to the head of the Yahukimo District Police Operations Department, Alwy Wairooy, the police raided the houses because they were alleged hide-outs for TPNPB members.

While twenty suspects were released on 18 May 2023 (see photo on top, source: Suara Papua), one arrestee named Aminus Senik, 21, remains in detention. It is not clear whether the police have pressed charges against him, raising serious concerns about the due process of law.

List of persons arbitrarily arrested in Dekai, Yahukimo Regency, on 16 May 2023

No	Name	Age (years)	Additional information
1	Yas Menegei	39	Yahopa Village Chief
2	Yopinus Payage	40	Yerikho Village Chief
3	Nus Gandeng	34	Bogum Village Chief
4	Martinus Gandeng	43
5	Sier Payage	32
6	Natan Payage	39
7	Babe Heluka	30
8	Aminus Senik	21	remains in custody
9	Temanius Payage	35
10	Obet Heluka	37
11	Ham Heluka	47
12	Matius Menegei	14
13	Paulus Gandeng	32
14	Petrus Senik	43
15	Elia Sigap	29
16	Mianus Sigap	50
17	Kenis Menegei	34
18	Yonius Payage	41
19	Emu Sigap	31
20	Herman Giban	28
21	Hanus Lapie	17

Village chiefs testifying about the raid and the personal belongings seized by police officers on 16 May 2023

People gathering at the Polres Yahukimo on 16 May 2023

Arrestees show damages after being released

Detailed Case Data
name of the location: Brasa, Dekai (-4.83846803623689, 139.49189925116156)
administrative region: Indonesia, Papua Pegunungan Province, Yahukimo Regency, Dekai District
total number of victims: 21
period of incident: 16.05.2023
perpetrator: other security forces
perpetrator details: Damai Cartenz task force
Issues: indigenous peoples, arbitrary arrest
Sources:
Further HRM News:

Number	Name, Details	Gender	Age	Group Affiliation	Violation
1	Yas Menegei, Yahopa Village Chief	male	39	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Yopinus Payage, Yerikho Village Chief	male	40	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Nus Gandeng, Bogum Village Chief	male	34	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Martinus Gandeng	male	43	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Sier Payage	male	32	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Natan Payage	male	39	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Babe Heluka	male	30	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Aminus Senik*	male	21	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Temanius Payage	male	35	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Obet Heluka	male	37	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Ham Heluka	male	47	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Matius Menegei	male	14	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Paulus Gandeng	male	32	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Petrus Senik	male	43	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Elia Sigap	male	29	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Mianus Sigap	male	50	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Kenis Menegei	male	34	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Yonius Payage	male	41	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Emu Sigap	male	31	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Herman Giban	male	28	indigenous	arbitrary detention
1	Hanus Lapie	male	17	indigenous	arbitrary detention