The indigenous peoples in West Papua suffer from human rights violations in the decades long lasting political and economical conflict there. West Papua refers to the western half of the New Guinea island. It is comprised of the six Indonesian provinces: Papua, Papua Barat, Papua Tengah, Papua Pegunungan, Papua Selatan, Papua Barat Daya.
On 8 April 2022, around 11:00 pm, police officers of the Jayapura city police carried out a house search in the Buper area of the Heram District in Jayapura City. The residents, most of them Papuan students, had just finished a traditional cooking ceremony as a group of police officers equipped with automatic machine guns and bullet-proof vests approached the house.
On 7 September 2022, the indigenous peoples in the Grime Nawa valley in Jayapura Regency again held a demonstration demanding the government stop activities and revoke the license of the palm oil plantation company, PT Permata Nusa Mandiri (PT PNM). The compnay has a location permit from 2011 and an environmental permit since 2014. PT PNM obtained a Hak Guna Usaha (HGU) permit in 2018, although the three-year Palm Oil Moratorium has been in effect.
Police officers tortured indigenous Papuan youth, Brayen Renaldy Gombo, inside a police patrol car in the highland town of Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, on 14 September 2022. The police officers arbitrarily arrested Brayen Renaldy Gombo because he was making fun of officers who were conducting a raid and seizing alcoholic drinks.
Officers of the Jayawijaya District Police (Polres Jayawijaya) arrested eleven university students in the highland town of Wamena on 7 September 2022.
Two international organisations, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the World Council of Churches (WCC), have voiced concerns regarding the aggravating human rights situation in Indonesia’s easternmost provinces Papua and Papua Barat.
The human rights court trial in relation to the Paniai Massacre of 2014 will be launched at the Makassar District Court on 21 September 2022
On 30 August 2022, military personnel tortured Mr Bruno Anonim Kimko and Mr Yohanes Kanggum inside a military post in the Bade Village, Mappi Regency. Komnas HAM revealed that the military personnel had tortured four more victims two days before. They were identified as Mr Amsal Pius Yimsimen, Mr Korbanius Yamin, Mr Lodefius Tikamtahae and Mr Saferius Yame. As of October 2022, the military police have identified 18 suspects.
On 1 September 2022, police officers arrested eight Papuan student activsist inside the Cenderawasih University Campus in Jayapura. The arrested students are members of the Papuan student organisation GempaR. The activists organised and took part in a book stall in front of the UNCEN Museum. The books were made available to students and the public.
On 31 August 2022, the Constitutional Court rejected the application for judicial review of the new Papuan Special Autonomy Law No 2/2021.
Police officers arrested five Papuan activists of the movement organisation Kunume Numbay in Jayapura, Papua Province, on 15 August 2022. According to information received, police officers were already waiting at the meeting point as 14 Kunume Numbay arrived around 10:00 am.
Military and civilian perpetrators have killed and mutilated four indigenous Papuans in Timika on 22 August 2022. The military police and the Timika regional police have launched separate investigations into the killing. As of 30 August 2022, the police had discovered body parts of the four victims, which the perpetrators packed in bags and dumped into the river. On 29 August the relatives carried out a peaceful protest demanding justice for the killing and enforced disappearance of Mr Irian Nirigi, Mr Arnold Lokbere, Mr Atis Tini, and Mr Limaniol Nirigi.
Eight Papuan activists: Malvin Yobe, Devio Tekege, Ambros Elopere, Maksi You, Paul Sode Hilapok, Luis Sitok, Ernesto Matuan, and Melvin Waine were arrested for raising the Morning Star flag in front of the sports hall (GOR) in Jayapura on 1 December 2021. The police charged the activists with Articles 106 KUHP on treason and Article 110 KUHP on criminal conspiracy against the state. Allegedly the police is unnecessarily prolonging the detention because the evidence against the eight activists is not sufficient to submit the case to the public prosecutor. On 30 January 2022, the police extended the period of detention for another 30 days. Prior to the arrest, Melvin Yobe was undergoing a pulmonary treatment program, while Sode Hilapok was suffering from hemorrhoids. Their health condition of Mr Malvin Yobe and Mr Paul Sode reportedly deteriorated in late January 2022. Mr Hilapok was once permitted to see a doctor while Mr Yobe has not yet received any medical treatment. The trial started at the Jayapura District Court in April 2022 but the first court hearing was adjourned. The trial has finally started on 17 May 2022.
On 29 August 2022, judges at the Jayapura District Court found Mr Melvin Yobe, 29, Mr Melvin Fernando Waine, 25, Mr Zode Hilapok, 27, Mr Devion Tekege, 23, Mr Yosep Ernesto Matuan, 19, Mr Maksimus Simon Petrus You, 18, Mr Lius Kitok Uropmabin, 21, and Mr Ambrosius Fransiskus Elopere, 21, guilty of treason as regulated under Article 106 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) (see photo on top, source: Jubi). Previously, the public prosecutor demanded a sentence of one year while the lawyers had pleaded for acquittal for the defendants.
On 5 July 2022, security force members of the Damai Cartenz shot dead indigenous Papuan, Mr Uakhele Giban in the Suru Suru District, Yahukimo Regency. He has been living with his family in a temporary shelter in there since November 2021 and was using his motorboat for river transportation services to generate an income to support his family.
On 7 July 2022, two military members were questioning residents and journalists in Nabire to collect information about Papuan human rights defender Mr. Yones Douw. Mr Douw understood this action as an attempt to intimidate and prevent him from carrying out his work as human rights defender.
Hailstorms and frost in mid-July 2022 have caused the destruction of gardens and livestock in the Lanny Jaya Regency, Papu Province.
The co-founder of Tabloid Jubi, Victor Mambor received the 2022 Udin Award from the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) on 7 August on AJI’s 28th-anniversary celebration. Victor Mambor is a …
Armed violence statistics and a series of recent attacks indicate that the conflict in West Papua has reached a new level of escalation throughout 2022
On 14 July 2022, police forces blocked protesters in various cities across West Papua. Officers beat protesters in Jayapura and Kaimana
A crowd of several hundred protesters gathered in various locations in Kaimana on 14 July 2022. Police officers blocked the roads to the local parliament. According to information received, police officers beat two protesters with wooden batons. The police dragged them off the bike and forced them to enter one of the trucks. One of the victims, Mr Aser Bary, was beaten with a wooden baton and sustained bruises on his chest and back as a result of the excessive force applied against him.
The Papua Peoples Petition (PRP) submitted a registration letter for a protest on 11 July 2022. According to media sources, the Jayapura police chief mobilized 2,000 police officers to prevent the protest. Dozens of police officers dispersed a group of about 30 students at the entrance gate to the Cenderawasih University campus in Waena, Jayapura. A video of the crowd control operation shows police officers wearing helmets and heavy gear beating the protesters.
