Sharon Muller – Indonesian military operations have again been launched in Intan Jaya regency, Central Papua province. This is the umpteenth time operations have been launched by the TNI (Indonesian Military) on the pretext of pursuing the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation or TPNPB-OPM.
Kompas.com (5/16/25) reported that this time the TNI operation was launched by the joint TNI Habema Operations Command (Koops) under the control of the Joint Defence Area Command (Kogabwilhan) III. The operation was launched on May 13 in Sugapa and Hitadipa districts, Intan Jaya.
TNI Information Centre head Major General Kristomei Sianturi reported that the TNI managed to shoot dead 18 members of the TPNPB-OPM. Furthermore, it was added that the purpose of the TNI operation was not to frighten the communities, but would be measured and was solely to oversee development.
But this is a public lie!
Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) Papua bureau head Reverend Ronald Richad reported that three civilians were shot dead by the TNI. They were Elia Wandagau (a pastor), Mono Tapamina (a Hitadipa resident) and Ruben Wandagau (the Hitadipa village head). The three victims were shot right when the TNI entered the Hitadipa Village.
Following this, the TNI also shot a housewife named Junite Zanambani (in the left arm) and her child, Minus Yegeseni aged 5 years (in the left ear) and they were rushed to hospital.
While another report from the Intan Jaya regional government said that there were actually five shooting victims. One of them was a deaf woman and a mute named Mono and Agus Mirip (residents of Ndugusiga). As of Thursday evening, two other missing residents have still not been found (Kompas Daily, 16/5/25).
Furthermore, in a May 14 circular the Intan Jaya regent reported that due to Indonesian military operations, there had been a many casualties and injuries. Of course what are meant are civilian causalities. As of May 18, the number of people killed remains unclear.
The TNI claim that they shot 18 members of the TPNPB-OPM is also a lie. TPNPB-OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom stated that only three members were killed. One was shot directly by the TNI and the other two were killed by mines hidden on the victim's body when they were about to be evacuated. Two other members survived and only suffered injuries (TPNPB-OPM Komnas 17/5/25).
At present, the situation in Intan Jaya is tense and the TNI limits all activities of citizens including access by journalists and human rights workers. Meanwhile around two hundred residents in Hitadipa and Sugapa have left their hometowns and fled to surrounding areas, including surviving in the jungles. The TNI operation adds to the long list of refugees in Papua.
National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) member Anis Hidayah has questioned the TNI operations in Intan Jaya because at this time there is no urgency or policy foundation that requires the TNI to carry out military operations in the region (Kompas Daily, 16/5/25).
However, Habema Operation Media Task Force head Infantry Lieutenant Colonel Iwan Dwi Prahartono said that the operation was solely a peaceful mission in the form of health services and education for communities. In addition, it was also to secure the construction of a road to Hitadipa.
But once again, this is a public lie. The TNI entered Hitadipa at 5 am in the morning and immediately launched an attack. Residents fled and the TNI shot dead the village head and a priest. There was no development carried out at 5 am in the morning, except for the thieves and criminals who launched the attack.
The construction of the road to Hitadipa and Intan Jaya is also not a public service, but rather to facilitate access to the Wabu Block, a giant gold mining concession held by West Wits Mining from Australia and PT Tobacom Del Mandiri owned by National Economic Council Chairperson Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
In the minutes of meeting signed on October 5, 2016 by PT Tobacom and West Wits Mining, it was agreed that Tobacom would be allocated 30 percent of the shares as long as it helped smooth the permits from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the construction of the road to the Wabu Block (Narasi Newsroom 2023).
As a result, Pandjaitan, who then served as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs in former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's Onward Indonesia Cabinet administration, moved quickly. By April 2017, one of the key documents, namely a clean and clear (CNC) permit, was completed at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Wabu Block was ready to be exploited.
Another more detailed report is the Political Economy of Military Deployment in Papua: The Case of Intan Jaya published by 10 non-government organisations (NGOs) in 2021. It emphasises that there is no clarity and no urgency whatsoever in the military deployment and operations in Intan Jaya, and that it is purely economic in nature.
Military operations are used as a way to expel communities so that the extractive company's plan to occupy Intan Jaya can run smoothly. This was proven by a series of brutal operations that were not on target, and the insane military mobilisation to occupy Intan Jaya.
In April 2020 the TNI abducted the Zanambani brothers in Hitadipa and tortured them to death. Then on September 19, 2020, the TNI shot dead Reverend Yeremia Zanambani and then accused the TPNPB of being the perpetrators. Subsequent investigations showed that this was a false accusation and that TNI members were the perpetrators of the murder.
Following this, the TNI burned down two healthcare service houses occupied by civilians in Hitadipa. A few days later (October 26, 2020) the TNI shot dead Pastor Rufinus Tigau in Jalai Village. Then the TNI killed a 12-year-old boy named Megianus Kobogau.
In 2021 the TNI again conducted a military operation and shot three civilians dead (Jubi.co.id, 02/16/21). Furthermore, a child named Janius Bagau was shot in the left arm and his bones shattered. He was evacuated to the Bilogai Yokatapa Health Centre by his two older brothers, Justinus Bagau and Soni Bagau. That night, they were visited by the TNI and tortured resulting in the death of all three (Jatam, 2021).
In fact the TNI has been actively conducting operations in Intan Jaya since 2019, followed by the construction of military posts in Sugapa. From satellite imagery monitoring, it was recorded that in Sugapa the TNI established a Military District Command (Kodim) and a Sub-District Military Command (Koramil). There is also the Intan Jaya District Police (Polres) and the Sugapa Sectoral Police (Polsek). From a map seen by the 10 NGOs, it is clear that the construction of these posts is right around the Wabu Block mining area.
From the report by the same 10 NGOs, it was also proven that the majority of the senior positions in the companies holding concessions in the Wabu Block are filled by TNI generals and retired military officers. Names such as Agus Surya Bakti, Bambang Sunarwibowo, Paulus Prananto and Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan are directly involved in the project.
Their involvement is to provide security services. This was clarified personally by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources during the Widodo era, Erick Thohir, who said that in mining there are sometimes conflicts, both regarding land as well as overlapping permits, there are also social issues in our society.
This is the general pattern that is pursued not only in Papua, but throughout Indonesia. Massive military operations are launched, creating chaos and fear, then investors come in to dig for gold. This is what the giant gold-and-copper mining company PT Freeport did in 1967, and today it is being applied again in Intan Jaya.
– Sharon Muller is a leading member of the Socialist Union (Perserikatan Sosialis, PS)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Hoax dan Motif Ekonomi Dibalik Operasi Militer TNI/ POLRI di Intan Jaya, Papua".]
