Three Agriculture Department Officials Killed in KKB Shooting, Amran Provides Explanation
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The Minister of Agriculture and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Amran Sulaiman, has spoken out regarding the shooting incident involving a group of Jayawijaya Regency Agriculture Department employees in Muliama Village, Highland Papua, on Wednesday (9/9/2026) afternoon.
Three officers were reported killed in the incident. According to police information, the group was en route to distribute livestock assistance to local communities when they were intercepted and shot by armed criminals.
Amran expressed profound condolences to the families of the victims. He described the three officers as food heroes who fell while performing their duties to assist communities in the remote areas of Papua.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Food Agency, and personally, I express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims. They are food heroes who fell in the line of noble duty, bringing livestock assistance to our brothers and sisters in the hinterlands of Papua. They should have been safe while performing that humanitarian task,” Amiente said in a statement, quoted on Thursday (10/9/2026).
Amran emphasised that the officers implementing livestock assistance and food security programmes in Papua posed no threat to the community. Therefore, he stated that the safety of field officers must be a priority and receive security guarantees from the authorities.
He called upon the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force, alongside the TNI-Polri (Indonesian National Armed Forces and National Police), to conduct a thorough investigation into the shooting. Amran also requested that security for officers implementing food programmes in the Papua region be strengthened.
“Food and livestock assistance programmes for the people of Papua must not stop due to the threat of violence. The state must be present more strongly, protecting every food hero who risks their lives to ensure food sufficiency for the people of Papua,” he asserted.
Despite the incident of violence, the Ministry of Agriculture and Bapanas ensured that livestock and food assistance programmes in Highland Papua will continue. The government also stated that it will provide support to the families of the victims who fell while performing their duties.
“We are deeply saddened to hear this news. We hope the security forces can quickly resolve this case and ensure it does not happen again. We want agricultural development in Papua to be strong and its benefits to be felt by the community,” he concluded.