Jayapura – Amnesty International Indonesia is calling for a thorough investigation into a fatal drone attack in Dekai city, the capital of Yahukimo regency, in the Papua Highlands.
Amnesty International Indonesia's Executive Director Usman Hamid said that they condemn the attack on Tuesday evening November 25, which killed one civilian and injured one other person.
"We strongly condemn the cruelty of the drone attack that killed one civilian and injured another in Yahukimo. This incident shows that residents continue to be victims of the escalating conflict in Papua between security forces and armed groups without serious efforts to protect the community", said Hamid said in a written press release on Thursday evening November 27.
According to Hamid, drone attacks that result in the deaths of civilians are a violation of international law. Furthermore, news reports said that the drone strike destroyed a house in Dekai city.
"Indonesian authorities are obliged to comply with their obligations under international law, which requires all parties in an armed conflict to distinguish between civilians and combatants, and to refrain from carrying out attacks indiscriminately targeting civilians", he said.
Amnesty International called on Indonesian authorities, including the police, to conduct a prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigation into the attack.
They also urged the parties to immediately form a joint fact-finding team to investigate this bloody incident. The police must also immediately reveal to the public who the drone belonged to.
"We also urge the Komnas HAM [National Human Rights Commission] and other independent institutions to actively conduct an open and impartial investigation to ensure justice for the victims' families", he said.
Hamid said that regardless of the perpetrators, whether they are state or non-state actors, this case must be tried through a general court as stipulated under the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP).
This step is considered crucial to ensure that the principle of equality before the law is upheld and to avoid impunity, which has often been the pattern when security forces commit violence in Papua.
Earlier, a drone strike killed one civilian and injured another on Jalan Gunung in Dekai city, hitting a civilian home and killing a student at the Dekai 3 State Vocational School (SMK) who was asleep at the time of the attack.
The deceased victim was identified as Listin Atin Sam, also known as Bulmak Sam (17), and the injured victim was Yondinus Dapla, who was sleeping in the same room at the time of the incident.
- The Amnesty International Indonesia press release demanding an investigation into the attack can be read here: https://www.amnesty.id/kabar-terbaru/siaran-pers/usut-tuntas-serangan-drone-di-yahukimo-dan-ungkap-pelakunya/11/2025/
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Amnesty Internasional Desak Pelaku Serangan Drone Di Yahukimo Diusut".]
