5 July 2026
On the 6th July in 1988, the Indonesian
security forces massacred scores of people in Biak, West
Papua. The victims, included women and children who had
gathered for a peaceful rally. They were killed at the base
of a water tower flying the Morning Star flag.
28
years later and no Indonesian security force member has ever
been charged or brought to justice for the human rights
abuses committed against peaceful West Papuan
demonstrators.
Joe Collins of AWPA said, “not only
has no military personal ever been brought to justice but
the killing of Papuans in the territory continues and in
fact the conflict is escalating”.
West Papuan people
continue to be arrested, intimated and killed by the
security forces. There are ongoing clashes between the TPNPB
and the Indonesian military with casualties on both sides.
As a result of these clashes , the Indonesian security
forces carry out operations in the area causing local people
to flee in fear for their lives. It’s the internal
refugees bearing the brunt of the conflict. According to
Human Rights Monitor there are over 122,00 internal
refugees in West Papua as of June
2026.
Collins said, as the situation in West Papua
deteriorates, we can expect more Papuans to flee from their
villages for safety.
In the latest incident an
American pilot, Nicholas F. Gosselin was killed and
the Associated Mission Aviation (AMA) plane he was
flying was destroyed.
The incident occurred at the
Kampung Balinggama airfield, Sobaham District, Yahukimo
Regency, Papua Mountains Province.
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A West Papua
National Liberation Army (TPNPB) spokesperson, Sebby Sambom
said that the TPNPB members from the Yahukimo Regional
Command, were responsible for the shooting and for setting
fire to the aircraft. He pointed out that previously the
TPNPB had issued an ultimatum prohibiting all civilian
aircraft from entering the TPNPB region.
Sebby said
that the group believes that civilian aircraft are regularly
being used to transport Indonesian troops and military
logistics into Papua’s interior to support military
operations although the AMA and the military have denied
this.
Joe Collins said, “what’s of real concern
now is the military might conduct another security force
operation to hunt for the TPNPB members in the area which
will only result in more internal refugees and more
villagers arrested and intimidated”.
Already the
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Djamari Chaniago has condemned the attack. The ministry,
says Djamari, will encourage the Indonesian Defense Forces
(TNI) and the National Police (Polri) to continue pursuing
the perpetrators and take firm action, and in an ANTARA News
report the Commander of the Joint Regional Defense Command
(Kogabwilhan) III, Lieutenant General Lucky Avianto, said
the Indonesian Military (TNI) will deploy additional
security personnel to several vulnerable locations in Papua
following the fatal shooting.
Statements such as this
are not helpful and only create anxiety in the Papuan
population.
The Biak Massacre
In
brief.
From the 2nd July in 1998, activists and local
people started gathering beneath the water tower, singing
songs and holding traditional dances. As the rally
continued, many more people in the area joined in with
numbers reaching up to 500 people. On the 6 July the
Indonesian security forces attacked the demonstrators,
massacring scores of people.
Although the Australia
Government knew of the Massacre, it failed to condemn the
Indonesian military”. Shortly after the massacre took
place, an Australian military attaché and intelligence
officer, Dan Weadon, from the Jakarta embassy visited Biak.
The officer was also handed photographic evidence by West
Papuans on Biak. The photos were distributed to his
superiors within defence, but they never saw the light of
day. Evidence suggests the photos have since been destroyed
by the defence department despite consistent calls for a
proper investigation into the atrocity. It is thanks to a
West Papuan supporter, Anthony Craig who got a copy of the
report under FOI laws that we know the photos were
destroyed.
If Canberra was reluctant to raise the
massacre with Jakarta 28 years ago, nothing has really
changed and Canberra is still reluctant to raise the human
rights situation in West Papua with
Jakarta.
Increasing awareness.
It is very rare
that the mainstream media covers the issue of West Papua.
However, a new documentary film has achieved major coverage
around the world . The documentary, film, “ Pesta Babi:
Kolonialisme di Zaman Kita” (Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our
Time) is about the impacts of deforestation in South Papua.
It follows the local Papuan communities resisting the loss
of their land and livelihoods due to a government-backed
National Strategic Project. The National Strategic Project
is a massive food and energy project in southern Papua and
particularly in the Merauke region. The project includes
industrial food estates and sugarcane plantations, causing
the destruction of millions of hectares of forest and
customary Indigenous land.
There has been a number of
crackdowns on some venues screening the film by the
authorities because of its controversial nature. It’s this
controversy that has led to the coverage in the mainstream
media.
So far, the film has screened over 2000 times
in Indonesia and overseas including in New Zealand and
Australia. Since it was released online it has had more than
13 Million views.
What is really encouraging is the
film is bringing awareness to the Indonesian population and
although it might not increase support for independence for
West Papua amongst Indonesians, it will cause outrage about
the ongoing environmental destruction and the human rights
abuses. A good start.
Background
The
Biak Citizens
Tribunal
https://www.biak-tribunal.org
