Rights and church groups condemn Indonesia’s new military base in Papua, citing land rights violations and risk of deepening conflict.
Newsroom (25/03/2026 Gaudium Press) Thirteen church-based and human rights organizations have called on the Indonesian military to immediately stop construction of a new battalion base in Papua Province, warning that it risks dispossessing local communities and igniting new social tensions in one of the country’s most sensitive regions.
The coalition — including the Papua Legal Aid Institute, the Papua Franciscan Commission for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation, and the Synod of Protestant Churches — issued a joint statement on March 25 condemning what they described as an unlawful takeover of indigenous land in Oridek, Biak Numfor Regency.
According to the statement, the Territorial Development Infantry Battalion plans to establish the base on 56 hectares of customary land traditionally owned by nine clans of the Biak tribe. The groups argue that the military has failed to obtain consent from these communities, a procedural step required under both Indonesian and international law.
“The land release is legally flawed,” said rights advocate Emanuel Gobay, who helped coordinate the coalition’s statement. “In this case, the Biak clans never sat down to discuss the matter with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), yet construction has already begun.”
Alleged Legal Violations and Environmental Impact
Gobay emphasized that the plan “blatantly violates several legal provisions protecting the rights of indigenous Papuans.” He cited the 2021 Special Autonomy Law for Papua, which requires consultation and agreement from customary landholders before their land can be used for any purpose. “This has been clearly ignored,” he said.
Rights groups also pointed out that the Oridek area has been designated as a protected forest zone, containing vital water sources that supply the nearby town of Biak. They claim the military has not secured the required environmental permits from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry — a legal prerequisite for development in protected zones.
Gobay said the coalition has submitted a formal complaint to the Papua representative of the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission, seeking an investigation into possible violations of indigenous and environmental rights.
Local Opposition and Tensions on the Ground
Members of the Biak indigenous community have voiced strong opposition to the project. Apolos Sroyer, a local leader, said the arrival of soldiers “seriously disrupts the community’s daily activities.” According to Sroyer, a small group of villagers held closed-door meetings with the military and later signed documents releasing the land, without informing the majority of clans.
“This process lacked transparency and collective agreement,” he said, urging the government to respect Biak’s traditional decision-making systems.
Government Justification and Broader Military Expansion
The planned battalion in Biak is part of a larger initiative by President Prabowo Subianto to establish 100 development-oriented military units across Indonesia, including 25 in Papua — the single largest regional allocation. The president has announced an even broader goal to create 400 additional battalions by October 2029, describing them as “civil-military development units” focused on regional resilience rather than combat operations.
Brigadier General Donny Pramono, head of the Indonesian Army Information Service, acknowledged public concern but defended the project’s legality and purpose. “The land has been legally acquired and was officially donated by its owner to the Indonesian Army,” he said. Pramono argued that the new battalion will contribute to local food security and territorial development.
Deep-Rooted Conflict and Humanitarian Concerns
Christian-majority Papua has remained a flashpoint of conflict since Indonesia assumed control of the former Dutch colony in the 1960s, following a controversial United Nations–backed referendum widely criticized as unfair. Decades of militarization and resource extraction have fueled long-standing tensions between indigenous Papuans, the government, and security forces.
The National Commission on Human Rights documented 115 incidents of violence in Papua in 2025, leaving 130 people dead and 88 injured — a sharp rise from 85 incidents and 71 deaths a year earlier. Most victims were civilians caught between security operations and separatist activity.
As Jakarta pushes forward with its military development plan, church and civil society leaders warn that continuing construction in Oridek without addressing community consent could deepen mistrust and further strain an already fragile peace.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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