Indonesia’s military chief, General Agus Subiyanto, has urged a coordinated response to the conflict in Papua, stressing that security operations must be supported by ministries, government agencies and local administrations. His call follows the alleged killing of Aris Sanda, also known as Bapak Tasya, a Toraja travel driver whose body was found alongside his burned vehicle near Lake Habema in Papua Highlands.
The incident underscores the continuing danger faced by civilians and public-service providers in remote areas, where armed separatist groups can exploit difficult terrain and weak access to state services.
As adapted from reporting by ANTARA News Sumbar, Agus said Papua’s vast territory and mountainous geography made it impossible for the Indonesian Military, or TNI, to resolve the conflict alone. He argued that cooperation between the military, central ministries and regional governments was essential to reinforce ongoing operations while addressing the wider political, economic and social conditions affecting residents.
The approach places civilian protection and peaceful development alongside security measures, rather than treating the conflict as a purely military problem.
A Civilian Death and the Duty of Protection
According to reports published by ANTARA News Sumbar, the TNI’s Habema Operations Command identified the OPM’s Kodap III Ndugama armed faction as allegedly responsible for the violence against Aris. Lieutenant Colonel Wirya Arthadiguna, the command’s information officer, said Aris had been transporting passengers in a light truck when an armed group stopped the vehicle on the road.
The passengers were reportedly questioned and ordered to return to Wamena, while Aris was detained and taken on foot toward the Lake Habema area.
After receiving information about the incident, Habema personnel conducted a search and sweep of the surrounding area. The team later discovered the vehicle burned and found Aris’s body at the location.
The account remains an allegation subject to investigation and legal proceedings, but the reported circumstances represent a grave attack on a civilian who was providing transportation in a region where mobility is vital for families, traders, students and public workers.
Rejecting Disinformation, Protecting Papua’s People
Attacks on civilians contradict claims that armed separatist violence is directed only at state security forces. In Papua, teachers, health workers, transport operators, traders, construction workers and logistics personnel have all become vulnerable when armed groups impose checkpoints, conduct interrogations or threaten communities.
Such actions violate fundamental human rights, disrupt education and healthcare, restrict humanitarian access and deepen the insecurity experienced by indigenous Papuans, who bear the heaviest social and economic costs of prolonged conflict.
The Indonesian state’s response must therefore be judged by its ability to protect every civilian without discrimination, including native Papuans and migrants who live and work in Papua. That requires disciplined security operations, transparent investigations, accountability for abuses by any party and meaningful coordination with customary leaders and local communities.
It also requires affirmative development, local democratic participation and fair economic opportunities so that infrastructure, health, education and public services strengthen—not displace—the rights and dignity of Papuan communities.
Wirya said the Habema command would pursue the armed group allegedly involved and support law-enforcement proceedings in accordance with applicable regulations. Such action should remain focused on identified perpetrators, avoid collective punishment and preserve humanitarian access in affected areas.
A durable solution will depend on combining lawful protection with dialogue, responsive local government and sustained development, ensuring that armed OPM violence does not dictate Papua’s future or distort international understanding of the people’s legitimate aspirations for safety, justice and peace.
