Pregnant Woman Killed by Stray Bullet in Papua, Komnas Perempuan Demands Independent Investigation

The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) is urging a thorough investigation into the death of a pregnant woman, identified by the initials MD, who was killed by a stray bullet in Sugapa, Intan Jaya, Central Papua. Komnas Perempuan stressed that the incident must be investigated independently. “This incident is an alleged serious violation of women’s rights to life, security, and health,” said Komnas Perempuan Commissioner Yuni Asriyanti in a written statement on Monday (6/6/2026). “Komnas Perempuan urges the state to guarantee an independent, impartial, comprehensive, and transparent investigation to uncover the facts, ensure accountability, and provide recovery for the victim’s family, as well as to take action against those proven responsible according to the law.” Asriyanti noted that the killing is not an isolated event, stating that there have been five fatal incidents involving women in Papua in the last nine months. “The MD case is not a standalone event. Based on media monitoring, at least five violent incidents have claimed the lives of women in Papua in the last nine months,” she said. She added that from 2021 to 2025, Komnas Perempuan received 75 complaints of violence against women from Papua, with approximately 40 percent of these complaints alleging the involvement of state apparatus or officials as perpetrators. The commission issued three key recommendations: conduct an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation; ensure comprehensive recovery for the victim’s family and resolve other similar cases that remain without clarity; and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the security approach in Papua, given the recurring pattern of armed conflict and civilian displacement. Meanwhile, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) stated that the fatal shot was fired by an armed group led by Peles Tigau of the West Papua National Liberation Army (OPM). The Head of Information for the TNI’s Habema Command, Lieutenant Colonel Inf Wirya Arthadiguna, said the attack occurred on Thursday (2/6) with shots fired from three different points over a 15-minute period. He confirmed that TNI personnel did not return fire during the incident due to heavy rain, thick fog, and very limited visibility.