Mandala Trikora Commander Opens Up on TNI Involvement Issue in Mama Sinta Case

The Commander of Kodam XXIV/Mandala Trikora, Major General TNI Frits Wilem Rizard Pelamonia, has stressed that the TNI was not involved in the alleged kidnapping issue of Yasinta Moiwend, or Mama Sinta, which has recently been widely discussed. He confirmed that the information circulating in public does not match the facts on the ground, and emphasised that there were no coercive actions in Mama Yasinta’s departure to Jakarta. “I guarantee this was not an act by the TNI. There was no kidnapping like the reports that have gone viral,” said Major General Frits on Thursday, 11 June 2026. According to him, the main clarification actually comes from Mama Yasinta herself as the person who directly experienced the incident. He stated that based on her own admission, there was never any coercion or act of kidnapping. “The person who experienced it is Mama Yasinta. And her admission is clear, there was no kidnapping. She is in a safe and healthy condition,” he said. The Commander also denied various speculations mentioning the involvement of the apparatus, including the use of specific aircraft in the process of relocation. He considered such narratives baseless and needing to be corrected. “The issue that she was transported on a specific aircraft is not true. That is speculation that does not match the facts,” he asserted. He added that to date, there have been no reports from TNI ranks in the field regarding actions outside of procedure against civilians, including in Mama Yasinta’s case. According to the Commander, the development of this issue cannot be separated from a lack of direct confirmation with related parties, thus giving rise to assumptions that could potentially mislead the public. “If no one asks directly or confirms, then assumptions emerge as if the TNI is involved, this must be corrected,” he said. He also called on the public to be wiser in responding to circulating information, and not to be easily influenced by unverified narratives. “We must look at the facts from the person concerned directly, do not let incorrect information actually exacerbate the situation,” said the Commander. With this affirmation, the TNI hopes the polemic regarding Mama Sinta will not escalate into disinformation that could disrupt stability, especially in the South Papua region.