Human rights concerns and violence in Papua

In August 2026, regional representative Mamberob Y. Rumakiek called for state intervention and witness protection following the alleged shooting of three civilians in the Muara Sungai Aifam area of Maybrat Regency. Rumakiek urged the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) to ensure an objective investigation and provide psychological rehabilitation for victims.

By September 2026, tensions escalated as an unidentified individual allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail into the yard of the Komnas HAM representative office in Jayapura, damaging several motorcycles. Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai called for a professional investigation by the Papua Regional Police to identify the perpetrator. Officials suggested the attack might be linked to the commission’s recent findings regarding violence in the Papua interior, which reportedly caused at least 10 deaths. While Komnas HAM officials identified the device as a Molotov cocktail, local police stated that forensic examinations were still underway to confirm the nature of the object.