Jayapura – A series of terror acts have again befallen Papuan students who are studying in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya.
The students are asking that the latest spate of incidents – the sending of a live lizard, provocative chats and the putting up of posters against Papuan students in Surabaya – be immediately and fully investigated.
Terror and intimidation against Papuan students continues to occur from year to year. So does racism. There are various ways in which the authorities try to silence democratic space and human rights for Papuan students. Intimidation against students demonstrates the violence and crimes committed by the state against the people.
"All the terror against Papuan students in Surabaya occurred within a period of one week from June 19-23, 2025. After the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Papua High School and University Students Association (IPMAPA) throughout Surabaya promoted a joint action with the agenda 'Anti-militarism and investment in Papua' on Friday, June 20, 2025", they explained in a written statement.
1. Sent a live lizard
Papuan students at the Kamasan III Papuan student dormitory in Surabaya were sent a package containing a live lizard on Thursday afternoon June 19. At exactly 4.30 pm two unknown individuals (OTK) left a package in a 50kg rice sack with a local resident who then delivered it to the front of the dormitory.
One of the residents came to the front door and called out to the comrades in the dormitory saying that someone had left a lizard. They then asked do you usually eat lizards.
Several comrades came out of the dormitory to check who had delivered the items to them. It turned out that two unknown individuals had entrusted them to a local resident.
After comrade Y*gie's asked questions like where did they catch it and other questions, the two people [sic] then answered that they caught it out back in the swamp (not far from the dormitory). "Yet we know that there aren't any swamps near the dormitory".
The students took the sack inside to check the contents. Once opened, it turned out that the lizard looked like a pet because of its large body and clean skin colour. Everyone agreed to release it into the wild.
2. Provocative posters
On Thursday morning at around 6:42 am, comrade YM left the dormitory with the intention of playing basketball. When returning to the dormitory right at the "Indrakilla" road intersection 50 meters from the Kamasan III dormitory, comrade YM found a poster containing a provocative narrative and various photos of AMP activities such as discussions, actions and book stalls.
A similar poster was also found at a rented house in Yahukimo. "It was put up right on the front gate to the rented house", said comrade FK.
On the same say in the afternoon, comrade M*li's found the same poster at the entrance to the Papuan student dormitory of the West Papua Deiyai Dogiyai Paniai Nabire High School and University Student Association (Ipmanapadode) regional coordinator.
In addition to this, at 12.42 am several intelligence officers, TNI (Indonesian Military) and Polri (Indonesian Police) members visited a Papuan student rented house and provoked a local security officer to monitor the activities of Papuan students in the rented house.
Then, on Friday at 2.20 pm, comrade MB found the same poster in the Sukolilo Keputih area next to the Darma Cendika Catholic University (UKDC) traffic lights.
On Saturday at 1.29 pm the same poster was found by comrade BM at the intersection next to the bridge in Bratang Gede. Not ending, on Sunday June 23 at around 11 pm comrade YW found the same poster in front of the Poltekes dormitory on Jalan Darmawangsa.
4. Threatening text messages
On Thursday night, from 7-11 pm dozens of Papuan students gathered together. They had been terrorised simultaneously in chats through the WhatsApp numbers 082342827610 and 085708359656 with intimidating, discriminating and racist words.
The words in the chats were like: "We are alongside you [next door]. We will k*ll you" and so forth.
Under Article 335 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) its states that anyone who intentionally and without the right or exceeds the limits of their authority with words or actions, threatens others with violence against that person or others people, is subject to a maximum sentence of one year and four months imprisonment or a maximum fine 4.5 million rupiah.
Therefore, we are asking the police to immediately and thoroughly investigate the terror and intimidation of students who are studying in Surabaya. Because terror and intimidation like this is done intentionally, and is planned in order to interfere with the mental well being and psychology of the Papua's students in Surabaya.
We realise this is terrorist activity carried out by reactionary groups and the authorities to frighten Papuan students so they will be afraid to be involved in critical organisational activities. But this is not comparable to the situation in Papua which is currently at the abyss of destruction by ecocide and genocide.
Statement
In response to the series of acts of terror and intimidation experienced by Papuan students in the City of Heroes, we wish to convey the following statement.
1. Inspector General of Police Drs. Nanang Avianto, M.Sc, East Java Regional police chief, stop allowing the terrorisation of Papuan students in Surabaya to continue.
2. To the East Java police chief, immediately find the perpetrators of the terror against Papuan students in Surabaya.
3. The Surabaya municipal government must urge the East Java police chief to investigate the terrorist case against Papuan students in Surabaya.
4. The governor of East Java, Ms. Khofifah Indar Parawansa, immediately urge the East Java police chief to find the perpetrators of terror against Papuan students in Surabaya.
The AMP Surabaya City Committee is therefore asking the police to immediately and thoroughly investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of this terror and intimidation.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Segera Usut Tuntas Teror dan Intimidasi Terhadap Mahasiswa Papua di Surabaya".]
