TNI Responds to Criticism Over Plan to Increase Troops in Papua
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Headquarters has explained its plan to increase the number of security posts and troops in the Papua region following the shooting of a pilot and the burning of an aircraft in Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan, on Thursday, 2 July. Head of the TNI Information Centre, Brigadier General Muhammad Nas, stated that the addition of posts and personnel is an evaluation of security measures in vulnerable areas, particularly those with a minimal presence of soldiers. “Our security focus is to enhance the protection of the community and to guarantee the safety of pioneer flight routes and vital objects,” Nas said via a WhatsApp message on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.
According to Nas, as conveyed by the Commander of Joint Regional Defence Command III (Pangkogabwilhan III), the incident at Ipdeheik Airstrip last week occurred because of a lack of security posts in the vicinity. Therefore, Nas said, it is important for security forces, especially the TNI, to build security posts at vulnerable points in the interior of Papua to ensure the situation, security, and public order remain conducive. He added that the plan to add security posts would be coordinated with churches, community leaders, and traditional leaders. “The locations and the number of personnel are still in the planning stage,” Nas stated.
Previously, Pangkogabwilhan III Lieutenant General Lucky Avianto said that following the shooting of a pilot in Yahukimo, the TNI planned to build additional security posts and deploy more troops to conflict-prone areas in Papua. He reasoned that the addition was necessary because the location of the crime scene was an area with a minimal presence of security forces. “The nearest post from that location is about 40 kilometres away,” Lucky said at Silas Papare Air Base, Jayapura, on Friday, 3 July 2026, as quoted by Antara.
The plan has been criticised by activists and security researchers. A Professor from the BRIN Regional Research Centre, Cahyo Pamungkas, said that implementing a security approach by adding posts and troops would only prolong the chain of violence in Papua. “Adding non-organic troops to Papua is not an effective solution to stop the conflict,” Cahyo said on Monday, 6 July 2026. Chairperson of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), Anis Hidayah, expressed a similar view. She urged the government to take serious steps to resolve the conflict in Papua. She said her institution recommends that the government evaluate the security approach that has been applied so far, as it is deemed incapable of resolving the issues in Papua. “The security approach has proven to create more problems than it solves, therefore it needs to be evaluated,” Anis said.
On Thursday, 2 July 2026, an American pilot for PT AMA, Nicholas F. Goselin, was declared dead after his aircraft landed at Ipdeheik Airstrip. The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) claimed responsibility for the shooting and the burning of the aircraft.