The Defense Ministry said that a Papuan separatist group killed 11 Indonesian civilians in Yahukimo, Highland Papua, adding that the victims were not, as the group claimed, intelligence agents disguised as civilians.
In a press statement issued in Jakarta on Thursday, head of the ministry's Information Bureau, Brig. Gen. Frega Wenas Inkiriwang, said that the armed group's allegation of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) being involved in illegal mining activities in Papua was false.
Indonesian military personnel stationed in the region are tasked solely with ensuring security and protecting civilians, he added.
He underlined that Indonesia remains steadfast in its commitment to prioritizing legal and peaceful means in addressing separatist movements in Papua region.
He said that the government recognizes the need to adopt a comprehensive approach and go beyond focusing on the security aspect to manage the easternmost region of Indonesia.
Inkiriwang stressed that the Indonesian government will not be provoked by the violent propaganda and systematic disinformation spread by armed groups with the intent of misleading and instilling fear in the public, particularly non-Papuan communities engaged in local economic activities.
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In this regard, he pointed out that rebels associated with the Papuan separatist movement have been striving to promote dangerous narratives by equating civilians—including teachers, medics, and construction workers—with security officers.
Therefore, the murder of the 11 civilians can be considered a crime against humanity, which constitutes a violation of national and international laws, he added.
The official informed that the National Police (Polri) has commenced an operation to recover the bodies of the 11 civilians—who have been identified and confirmed to be illegal gold miners—killed in an alleged attack by an armed group led by Elkius Kobak on April 6, 2025.
The TNI had made similar statements earlier, denying rumors about its personnel conducting intelligence operations in the guise of civilians.
Brig. General Kristomei Sianturi, head of the TNI's Information Center, told the media in Jakarta on Wednesday that the armed group members spread the false narrative to avoid being labeled as human rights offenders following their barbaric act.
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Reporter: Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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