Governor John Tabo Demands Crackdown on Tribal Warfare in Wamena

The Governor of Highland Papua, John Tabo, has asserted that tribal warfare must no longer occur throughout the Highland Papua (Papeg) region. Speaking in Wamena on Monday, he stated, “In accordance with our collective decision, from this moment on, there must be no more tribal wars across the entire Highland Papua territory.”

He noted that tribal warfare must cease as it destroys familial ties, kinship, and brotherhood among the various tribes in the area. “We request that security forces take firm action if any groups continue to engage in movements or tribal warfare within Highland Papua,” he added.

He explained that, following directives from the Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri), the government will immediately draft special regional regulations (Raperdasus) and provincial regional regulations (Raperdasi) to prohibit tribal warfare in the region. “We will oversee this process. Following the instructions of the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Ribka Haluk, these regulations must be drafted by the Papua People’s Council (MRP) of Highland Papua, and we will assist them alongside the Ministry of Home Affairs.”

Furthermore, he emphasised that all future legal disputes must be resolved using positive law rather than customary law. “For the people of Highland Papua across the eight regencies, any future legal resolutions must utilise positive law to ensure tribal warfare does not recur,” he stated.

Recent tribal warfare in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, resulted in 13 deaths and left 19 others injured. The conflict involved the Pirime (Lanny) and Kurima (Woma) tribes, which initially broke out in the Woma District on Thursday (14/5) and spread to several locations in Jayawijaya through Friday (15/5).

“Based on the latest updated data, 13 people have died in the tribal war,” said the Head of Public Relations for the Jayawijaya Police, Ipda Efendi Al Husaini, on Sunday (17/5).

The Papua Regional Police claimed that the security and public order situation in Wamena is gradually becoming conducive following the inter-tribal conflict. The Head of Public Relations for the Papua Regional Police, Kombes Cahyo Sukarnito, stated that to maintain security stability, joint forces from the Jayawijaya Police and the Papua Regional Police Brimob Unit remain stationed at seven strategic points within the city of Wamena.