DPR Demands Independent Investigation of the Death of 15 Civilians in Papua Peak

ILLUSTRATION BETWEEN HO

Member of Commission XIII of the DPR Mafirion urged the government to immediately conduct a thorough and independent investigation regarding the incident in which 15 civilians were killed in a shootout in Puncak Regency, Central Papua.

He emphasized that the investigation process must be objective in order to uncover whether there was a violation of procedures or human rights violations (HAM) in the action of the authorities against armed groups.

Mafirion assessed that the escalation of the conflict that occurred on April 13-14, 2026, was a bad precedent in handling conflicts in the Papua region. He emphasized that the transparency of the investigation results is a dead price to maintain the accountability of the state in the eyes of the public.

"We are very concerned about the incident in Puncak Regency. The investigation must be thorough, objective, and independent. The results must be presented transparently to the public without being covered up," Mafirion told reporters, Tuesday, April 28.

The member of the commission dealing with human rights also demanded the formation of an independent investigation team involving credible institutions such as Komnas HAM to collect evidence and witness statements in the field. In addition, Mafirion also urged full protection for the victims' families and eyewitnesses so that the information obtained is accurate and free from intimidation.

He reminded that the protection of civilians is an absolute legal obligation, both according to international and national legal instruments (the 1945 Constitution and Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights). In situations of armed conflict, civilians are not combatants and must receive security guarantees from the state.

"The protection of civilians is a legal obligation. Under no circumstances should civilians be the target of attacks. If this protection fails, public confidence in the state and security forces will be eroded, which in the end will actually exacerbate the escalation of the conflict," he said.

Mafirion is concerned that failure to provide protection to civilians will trigger prolonged trauma for the local community and undermine social stability. He also urged the government to immediately evaluate the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling armed conflicts in Papua so that the approach used is more humane, measurable, and minimizes the risk of civilian casualties.

"The government should not only focus on handling incidents, but must strengthen the civilian protection system in the future. Increased training of officers, strict monitoring mechanisms, and a more persuasive approach are absolute steps if we want to create permanent peace in Papua," concluded Mafirion.