Deputy Minister of Human Rights assures state presence in handling refugees in Intan Jaya, Papua

Deputy Minister of Human Rights Mugiyanto has assured that the state is present in efforts to handle refugees in Intan Jaya, Central Papua. He stated that the Ministry of Human Rights will soon hold a meeting with relevant ministries and agencies to jointly undertake refugee management efforts. “There are many refugees there, and the Ministry of Human Rights will shortly convene a meeting involving relevant ministries and agencies to undertake efforts to handle the refugees in Papua, whose numbers are quite large,” Mugiyanto said during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday. He mentioned that based on provisional data, the reported number of refugees is 122,000 people. “So we want to ensure the state is present to make sure the refugee issue can be handled properly, with cross-ministerial and agency synergy,” he stated. According to him, handling these refugees must be comprehensive, involving relevant ministries and agencies, ensuring that human rights in the region are fulfilled in terms of security, economy, welfare, education, and so forth. “So there are many things that are our concern. Those who are displaced have the right to shelter. Ensuring their place of refuge is safe, and basic needs can be met,” Mugiyanto said. Meanwhile, the Indonesian National Police’s Chief of Operations, Commissioner General Fadil Imran, said the police have undertaken recovery efforts in the Intan Jaya region following the armed contact incident, particularly security restoration. He said that the Indonesian National Armed Forces and the police are conducting clearing operations so that flight activities in the district can return to normal. “The TNI-Polri have deployed personnel there to restore the situation,” Fadil said. In the incident, a pregnant woman named Melkiana Duwitau died along with her unborn baby after being hit by a bullet while inside her home. The National Commission on Human Rights stated the incident occurred amid an escalation of violence spreading across Tanah Papua in recent days. The series of events also resulted in the deaths of a priest, a member of an armed group, an Indonesian soldier, and a foreign national pilot of a pioneer aircraft. The Indonesian National Armed Forces stated that the bullet that struck Melkiana came from the armed group. Additionally, the National Commission on Human Rights obtained information regarding the burning of an aircraft belonging to Associated Mission Aviation at Balinggama Pioneer Airport, Sobaham District, Yahukimo Regency, on the same day. The incident was allegedly carried out by the TPNPB-OPM Yahukimo Kodap group led by Elkius Kobak. In that incident, the American pilot, Nicholas F. Goselin, was shot dead, while seven passengers who were native Papuans were reported to have survived. According to the National Commission on Human Rights’ records, an attack on a commercial aircraft also occurred at Koroway Batu Airport, Yahukimo, on 11 February 2026, resulting in two pilots being shot dead. The commission suspects both attacks on aircraft in Yahukimo were carried out by the same group. The National Commission on Human Rights recorded 97 incidents of violence and armed conflict in Papua throughout 2025 and 26 cases up to April 2026.