The Vice Chairperson of the Papua Special Committee Urges the President to Take Action to Protect Civilians and End the Cycle of Violence in Papua.

11 September 2026 oleh admin

Jakarta, dpd.go.id - Dr. Filep Wamafma, Vice Chairperson of the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI)'s Special Committee on Papua, highlighted the shooting of three civilians, government officials, in Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Highlands, on Wednesday (September 9, 2026). He stated that this incident once again demonstrates that civilians remain the most vulnerable group in armed conflict in Papua.

"I express my deepest condolences to the victims' families. They were serving the community, but lost their lives in the conflict. The government needs to address this immediately to prevent similar incidents from recurring and prolonging. It's time for the President to make a national political decision to resolve the Papuan conflict, which has been going on for far too long," Filep said on Friday (September 11, 2026).

As is known, data from the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) shows that in the first half of 2026, there were 42 conflict incidents in Papua, resulting in 59 deaths and 50 injuries. Of the fatalities, 43 were civilians, 8 were members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri), and 8 were members of armed groups. This data demonstrates that civilians bear the brunt of the impact.

"Civilian protection must be a priority and a key indicator of policy success in Papua. Every citizen must be free from fear and threats, and have the right to live, work, attend school, seek medical treatment, travel, and access government services without fear of violence. Therefore, the state is obligated to ensure that conflict zones do not become spaces where civilians are deprived of their most fundamental rights, namely the right to life and security," he said.

"The security approach has been in place for a long time. The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) have been deployed, and various operations have been conducted. Various development and welfare programs have also been implemented. However, if, after all that, civilians are still being shot, then the government must have the courage to evaluate the effectiveness of its conflict resolution strategy comprehensively and thoroughly," Filep emphasized.

According to Filep, this evaluation aims to develop a more comprehensive strategy so that officers can carry out their duties to protect the public without becoming victims and continuing to be trapped in a cycle of violence.

"I urge the President to lead a national evaluation of the handling of the Papua conflict and establish a roadmap for resolution that includes timeframes, success indicators, division of responsibilities between institutions, and oversight mechanisms. The first priority must be the protection of civilians, through securing public service channels, protecting healthcare workers, teachers, civil servants, development workers, indigenous peoples, women, and children, as well as serious response to those displaced by the conflict," Filep explained.

At the same time, the Secretary of the MPR RI for Papua also emphasized that every act of violence against civilians must be investigated professionally, transparently, and based on the law, and whoever the perpetrator is must be held accountable.

"The government needs to strengthen its political, legal, human rights, development, and dialogue approaches. Security is important, but security without addressing the root causes of the conflict is insufficient to create sustainable peace. As Vice Chair of the House of the Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI)'s Special Committee on Papua, I emphasize that the measure of success in handling the armed conflict in Papua must prioritize people's lives and provide a sense of complete security," said Filep

"The president must make a decision now: protect civilians, stop the cycle of violence, and establish a permanent, dignified, measurable, and just resolution to the Papuan conflict. Papua needs security. More than that, Papua needs assurances that every citizen has the right to live in peace and be protected," he concluded.