Jayapura – The dire conditions facing refugees in conflict areas that continue to be ignored by the government, as well as the increasing number of military operations that have resulted in civilian casualties, require the attention of all parties as well as the need for international intervention.

This was among several points raised at a press conference by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in delivering a statement of its position and demands regarding the situation in Papua on Tuesday October 21.

The press conference was held by the KNPB Central Executive Board (BPP) in Waena, Jayapura City, Papua, and chaired by National Spokesperson Ogram Wanimbo along with General Chairperson Agus Kossay.

There were at least six points in the statement and demands conveyed by Wanimbo during the press conference.

First, in response to the military emergency situation in Papua, namely the armed conflict between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Indonesian Police (Polri), the unequal use of weapons by the TPNPB and TNI-Polri combatants is a violation of international humanitarian law. The use of bombs by the TNI to attack the TPNPB that has makeshift weapons such as arrows and standard firearms is highly disproportionate.

"We urge the Indonesian military to stop using phosphorus bombs, bombs fired by drones from the air, and also using fighter jets, the use of chemical weapons, bombs, and other combat equipment that will also seriously threaten the safety of civilian lives in armed conflict areas, destroy forests, and so on, which are of course violations, in this case the Indonesian military are violating the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM)", they said.

The KNPB stated that the use of bombs is not in proportion with the TPNPB's resistance against colonialism over gross human rights violations, and that they were now waging war using weapons of unequal strength as well as attacking from the air with fighter planes, drones and dropping bombs in armed conflict areas where civilians are present, thus also sacrificing civilians and imprecisely targeting the TPNPB.

"Therefore, KNPB strongly condemns militarism as a very brutal and inhumane act", they said.

Second, the KNPB responded to the refugee situation in several conflict areas that has not received any attention at all, including the refugees in Nduga, Intan Jaya, the Bintang Highlands, Maybrat, Yahukimo and Teluk Bintuni, who desperately needed attention from humanitarian agencies.

Third, addressing the shooting of four civilians in Dogiyai regency, Central Papua province, on October 20, as a crime against humanity, this is outside of the Indonesian military's procedures for using state tools to kill innocent civilians. The Indonesian military has carried out the shooting of civilians outside the legal procedures applicable in this country.

Fourth, the KNPB strongly condemns the massacre of 15 people in Soanggama village, Intan Jaya regency, of which 12 were ordinary civilians who were massacred by the Indonesian military. Military operations are being carried out in civilian settlements, so we ask international parties to intervene or send an international investigation teams to areas of armed conflict to see directly the civilians in refugee camps throughout Papua.

Fifth, the KNPB also strongly condemns the actions of the individuals who killed a teacher in Holuwon, Yahukimo regency. We emphasised to the authorities do not just accuse anyone, but to look for the real perpetrators who are already known. The security forces (TNI-Polri) should not accuse the TPNPB or civil society groups there and sacrifice the civilian society in Holuwon. But look for the perpetrator according to the results of investigations in the field.

Sixth, the KNPB appeals to the people of West Papua from Sorong to Merauke not to see today's situation in Papua as being just fine, because today's situation threatens the nature and humanity of the Papuan people as a whole. So Papuans should never be silent and sit back and watch the barbarity and violence committed by the state, but think how can we unite and fight injustice in our homeland.

On the same occasion, Kossay added several important points that need public attention.

"The humanitarian situation is of concern to all living beings, including international humanitarian observer institutions and institutions that exist to observe the humanitarian situation in Papua, it is the main focus of all humanitarian observers in the world. Because the armed conflict that is occurring in Papua has an impact on impunity for the perpetrators without resolution, as well as displacement everywhere", he said.

Kossay said that these displacements did not just occur in the 2000s, but since the 1960s until this day, Papuans have fled everywhere, 10 thousand civilians have fled to Papua New Guinea, and 3 thousand to the Netherlands, even in Papua internal displacement has reached more than 100 thousand people, but the Indonesian state simply ignores it.

"The massacre of civilians, starting from Puncak Jaya, Lanny Jaya, Nduga and Intan Jaya, with 12 people actually being massacred or executed by the Habema Rajawali II Task Force. The civilians were executed and the claim that they were TPNPB was totally untrue. Without any investigation, they were simply accused of being TPNPB. The evidence that the state presented was completely invalid for what happened. For the deaths of citizens. No arbitrary action should be taken without a proper and in-depth investigation", he explained.

Agus Kossay also confirmed the disproportionate use of weapons in the armed conflict in Papua.

"The TPNPB only uses standard weapons, but the Indonesian military uses the full force of its equipment, drones, bombs, even fighter planes to bombard TPNPB combatant bases. This is a concern for all of us."

Therefore, the KNPB is asking for international attention.

"We urge international bodies that talk about humanity, independent institutions, even international media that can cover all events in Papua independently to take responsibility to go into Papua and investigate every case, because the murder of Papuans happens all the time, every day, in various ways, so we urge this."

After one year of President Prabowo Subianto's leadership there has been no step forward regarding the problems in Papua. In fact, military operations have continue to increase.

"The Papuan problem and conflict [must] be resolved with a humanist and dialogical approach, it cannot be done with a militaristic approach. Papuans do not need development, roads or anything else, but we do need a peaceful solution to resolve Papua's problems, especially the KNPB who always says that a referendum is a peaceful way to resolve the conflict in the land of Papua", he asserted.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "KNPB Serukan Intervensi Dunia Internasional ke West Papua".]

Source: https://suarapapua.com/2025/10/23/knpb-serukan-intervensi-dunia-internasional-ke-west-papua/