Arrow breaking symbolises peace in Papua Highlands

The atmosphere at the Jayawijaya Police headquarters in Wamena that afternoon was quite tense. Officers from the Jayawijaya Police, assisted by Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel, guarded the entrance to ensure no one brought weapons, so that the peace effort attended by Indonesian Deputy Home Affairs Minister Ribka Haluk could proceed safely and smoothly. The peace process was conducted according to custom, namely by breaking arrows or releasing the bowstring as a sign of cessation or peace between the two conflicting tribes in Wamena City, Jayawijaya Regency. The arrow-breaking process took place at the parade ground of the Jayawijaya Police headquarters, representing the presence of the state, where the two warring parties were separated and the leaders of the Jayawijaya and Lanny Jaya Customary Councils stood between them, explaining the arrow-breaking process in the Hubula and Lani local languages. They were then directed to follow the established peace sequence, namely breaking arrows and releasing bowstrings, witnessed by Deputy Home Affairs Minister Ribka Haluk, several regional dignitaries, and security officials. After they agreed to what was conveyed by the leaders of the Jayawijaya and Lanny Jaya Customary Councils, the five representatives from the conflicting tribes immediately broke the arrows and released the bows as a sign of peace or the cessation of war. Subsequently, the five representatives from the warring tribes proceeded to sign an official report as a legal basis for the government and security forces stating that inter-tribal warfare would not be repeated. Should another tribal war occur between the two tribes, it will be dealt with under positive law to deter the perpetrators. The indigenous people of the Papua Highlands region still firmly uphold the culture and customs inherited from their ancestors for hundreds of years in their daily social lives. They maintain a communal way of life, living within a shared social order, so that all social, farming, and plantation activities, and even problem-solving, are still carried out collectively. Indigenous Papuans in the Highlands, who inhabit the Central Papua and Papua Highlands regions, are often referred to as highland communities comprising many tribes. Jayawijaya Regency is home to the Dani or Hubula tribe, while Yahukimo Regency houses the Yali, Hubula, Kimyal, and Momuna tribes. Lanny Jaya and Tolikara Regencies are home to the Lani tribe. Nduga Regency is home to the indigenous Nduga people, Pegunungan Bintang Regency has the Ngalum, Ketengban, Murop, and Lepki tribes, Yalimo Regency is home to the Yali tribe, and Central Mamberamo Regency has the Dani and Lani tribes. Beyond these names, various other sub-tribes are scattered throughout the Papua Highlands customary region, most of which still firmly uphold ancestral traditions such as the stone burning ceremony, living in traditional Honai houses, and tribal warfare. With the multitude of tribes inhabiting the Papua Highlands, friction between them is inevitable, whether in disputes over defending customary land boundaries, morality issues, murder, alcohol, theft, traffic accidents, insults, and so forth. Some time ago, in Wamena, the capital of both Jayawijaya Regency and Papua Highlands Province, a tribal war occurred between the Lani and Yali, resulting in a significant number of fatalities and property loss. This issue, triggered by a traffic accident and a criminal murder of a woman, led to inter-tribal conflict and has drawn serious attention from the central and regional governments.