Papuaaround.com – On Tuesday afternoon, dozens of Papuan citizens staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the Ministry of Human Rights office on Jalan Rasuna Said, South Jakarta. The group voiced their frustration over ongoing human rights violations in Papua and demanded a direct meeting with Minister Natalius Pigai.
Standing atop a command vehicle, one protest leader expressed deep concern about what they claim to be systematic and widespread violence across Papua. “We are here to express our aspirations and the pain of what is happening in our land. These are not isolated incidents. Human rights violations are happening everywhere. Women are being killed, children are being killed,” the speaker said.
Protesters, waving signs and shouting slogans, insisted on a face-to-face dialogue with Minister Pigai. However, as of this report, the Minister had not appeared. Instead, several ministry officials attempted to represent him, which the demonstrators rejected. “We don’t want representatives. We want Natalius Pigai to meet us directly,” one protester shouted.
Security at the scene was maintained by a number of police officers who closely monitored the protest. Although traffic slowed along Jalan Rasuna Said due to the crowd, authorities chose not to block the road entirely.
The demonstration took place amid rising public scrutiny over a recent military operation in Intan Jaya, Papua, which allegedly led to civilian casualties. Reports from the region claim that a woman named Hetina Mirip was killed during a raid conducted by the Habema Task Force in Jaindapa Village, Sugapa District.
According to Frits Ramandey, Head of the Papua Secretariat of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the victim’s body was only discovered nine days after the operation. “From our field partners’ report, the body was buried improperly. When the body was recovered, parts of it were found exposed, indicating that the burial was not done in a humane way,” he told journalists on Monday.
The military has firmly denied the allegations. The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) stated that all individuals who died during the operation were members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), not civilians.
Despite the controversy, the protesters emphasized that their presence in Jakarta was not to promote political agendas but to raise awareness about the suffering of ordinary Papuans. “This is about justice. We want the government to hear us. Our people are dying and no one is held accountable,” said another demonstrator.
The protest ended peacefully, with participants dispersing later in the afternoon. However, the group vowed to return if their demands remain unmet.
This latest demonstration highlights the growing frustration among Papuans who feel their voices are not being heard, despite repeated efforts to engage with government officials. As human rights concerns in Papua continue to draw national attention, pressure is mounting on authorities to respond with transparency and accountability.
