The Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman\nHamid, has condemned the recent series of kidnappings, hostage-taking,\nand killings of civilians in Papua.<\/p>\n
Usman emphasised that attacks on civilians are serious actions that\ncannot be justified by any reason, including political motives. \u201cWe\ncondemn the series of heinous killings of civilians over the past week\nin Papua. This is clearly a serious crime under humanitarian law. The\nright to life is non-negotiable. Whatever the reason, including\npolitical motives, such actions are unacceptable,\u201d Usman stated in his\nremarks on Wednesday (16\/9).<\/p>\n
He requested that the government handle the conflict in Papua in a\nmeasured manner and ensure that every alleged violation of the law is\ninvestigated transparently and impartially. According to Usman, such\nsteps are vital to prevent the escalation of conflict and to provide\ncertainty to the victims and their families. \u201cWe must not allow the\narmed conflict there to develop like in Sudan, resulting in massive\ncivilian casualties. Survivors and families of victims have the right to\nknow what happened, who the perpetrators are, and what concrete steps\nIndonesia will take,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Amnesty International Indonesia is also encouraging the Government\nand the Indonesian Parliament (DPR RI) to open space for peace\nnegotiations or humanitarian dialogue as an effort to resolve the\nlong-standing conflict in Papua. In an official statement on 9 September\n2026, Amnesty previously urged the government and Parliament to initiate\na peace dialogue involving all stakeholders in the Land of Papua.<\/p>\n
Usman assessed that the security approach implemented so far has not\nbeen able to stop the conflict. Therefore, he requested President\nPrabowo Subianto and the Parliament to encourage a resolution through\ninclusive dialogue. \u201cWe urge the Government and the DPR RI to\nimmediately open peace negotiations or humanitarian dialogue to resolve\nthe armed conflict in Papua. Peace dialogue must involve all\nstakeholders in the Land of Papua to ensure a dignified solution,\u201d said\nUsman.<\/p>\n
This pressure comes amidst a resurgence of violence against civilians\nin Papua. On Tuesday (15\/9), the TPNPB-OPM Ndugama Kodap III Darakma\nclaimed responsibility for the shooting of a driver on the Trans\nWamena-Nduga route. The group accused the victim of being a military\nintelligence member working as a driver. The claim regarding the\nvictim\u2019s status has not been independently verified. Meanwhile, the TNI\nreported that a driver was found dead and his vehicle was burnt during\nthe incident on the Wamena-Nduga route on the same day.<\/p>\n
Previously, three employees of the Jayawijaya Regency Agriculture\nOffice were shot dead in Muliama Village, Muliama District, on Wednesday\n(9\/9\/2026). The TPNPB-OPM subsequently claimed responsibility for the\nshooting, accusing the three victims of being intelligence agents. In\nAugust 2026, nine women were also reported to have been taken by an\narmed group in the Jila District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua. The\npolice stated that the case is still under investigation, including to\nidentify the group responsible. One woman was reported dead during that\nseries of events.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/attacks-on-civilians-in-papua-cannot-be-justified-1789559739", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }