Komnas HAM has condemned the use of public facilities such as schools, district offices, and churches as security posts by the Indonesian military (TNI) and police in West Papua, stating that it constitutes a human rights violation. In the Maybrat Regency in the Papua Barat Daya Province, and the Pegunungan Bintang Regency of Papua Pegunungan Province, security forces continue to occupy public facilities. Reports indicate that in Maybrat, eleven security posts have been established since 2021, including two inside elementary school buildings, while in Pegunungan Bintang, the military has taken over a district office and a church in the Oksop District, leading to fear and displacement among residents.
The use of these public facilities disrupts essential services, particularly education. Schools occupied by security forces prevent children from accessing their right to education, a clear violation of human rights. Komnas HAM commissioner, Mrs Anis Hidayah, emphasized that such actions hinder public access to basic services and create an environment of fear. Despite recommendations made in 2023 urging the government to remove security forces from public buildings, the occupation of schools in Maybrat continues (see photo on top: source: independent HRD), depriving students of their learning spaces.
Member of the Komnas HAM Papua representative Office, Mr Melky Weruin, stressed that public facilities should never be repurposed for military or security use, as they serve specific civilian needs. He criticized the prolonged occupation of schools, stating that it neglects children’s right to education and damages public trust in security forces. Komnas HAM continues to call for the immediate withdrawal of security forces from these facilities to restore their intended use.
Military members occupy a district office and the YPPK Faan Kahrio Christian Elementary School, Maybrat Regency
