Reiner Brabar, Sorong – Papuan students in several major cities in Indonesia, such as Bandung, Jember, Malang, Bali, Lombok and several cities in Papua, held peaceful demonstrations on Monday April 7 to urge the gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia (FI) to immediately stop exploiting natural resources (SDA) in Papua.
The simultaneous action on Monday were organised by students from the West Papua Independent Student Forum (FIM-WP), the Papua Student Alliance (AMP), the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP), the Papua High School and University Students Association (IPMAPA) and several other organisations in order to commemorate 58 years of PT Freeport Indonesia's presence exploring Papua's natural resources.
Some of the simultaneous actions went smoothly, but others also ended in chaos because they were restricted or even forcibly disbanded on the grounds that they did not have permits to demonstrate from the police, as happened in Nabire, Central Papua.
The commemoration in Nabire ended in chaos and was marked by the firing of teargas. During the action, a number of demonstrators were arrested and questioned by police before being sent home.
During the action, the demonstrators unfurled a number of banners and distributed pamphlets calling for Indonesia to immediately grant the right of self-determination to the Papuan people. They also asked the Indonesian government to immediately revoke the recently ratified revisions to Law number 34/2004 on the Indonesian Military (TNI) and withdraw all organic and non-organic military troops from the land of Papua.
Action in Nabire, Central Papua
As reported by tiiruu.com, Nabire District Police (Polres) Chief Assistant Superintendent Samuel D. Tatiratu said that police did not prohibit the peaceful demonstrations against PT Freeport, but what was prohibited was the long-march to the office of the Central Papua Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) offices because it would have disrupted public order.
"We from the Polres Nabire facilitated trucks at each point, there were three trucks to transport the masses to the DPRP offices. But the demonstrators did not want to use the trucks we provided to get to their destination", he told reporters at the Karang Tumaritis market on Monday April 7.
Tatiratu said that security for the demonstrators was carried out to ensure public order and security in Nabire district so that residents could carry out their activities safely.
"It needs to be known that the Polres Nabire does not prohibit actions being carried out by residents. We ensure that public order and security can run well and smoothly so that residents are not disturbed by demonstration activities", said the police chief.
In a statement, general field coordinator Yance Pogau explained that the action was forcibly dispersed, protesters were arrested and teargas was fired by security forces, resulting in participants being injured.
"The protesters took to the streets at several locations including Karang Tumaritis, Wadio, KPR Siriwini, Jalan Jakarta. The protesters taking part and were going to hold a long-march to the Central Papua DPRD offices to convey their aspirations. However, they were forcibly dispersed and the protesters were dispersed without prior negotiation".
"We had already submitted a notification letter [with police] to hold a peaceful demonstration, but the police responded in an inhumane manner. Several demonstrators were injured due to the police's forced dispersal", Pogau explained.
Action in Jayapura, Papua
Students who are members of the FIM-WP held a demonstration to reject PT Freeport at the Waena Expo and the Waena State Housing Company (Perumnas) in Heram district, Jayapura city, on Monday.
The peaceful demonstration, which started at the Cenderawasih University (Uncen) campus then moved off towards the Perumnas III taxi roundabout, was forcibly dispersed by a joint force of TNI and Polri (National Police) officers. According to field reports, security forces blocked the demonstrators then gave them around 45 minutes to give speeches at the location.
"After the speeches, the demonstrators then continued the long-march to the gathering point at Waena Expo to convey their position peacefully", explained Vian, one of the demonstrators.
Action in Manokwari, West Papua
In Manokwari a peaceful demonstration was held in front of the Mansinam 1 dormitory on Jalan Gunung Salju in Amban. This is part of a wave of national actions that took place simultaneously in various cities in Indonesia.
Field coordinator Loti Selak said that the action was a response to the extension of the work contract between Indonesia and the United States which will reopened natural resource exploitation in Papua.
"Freeport is not just about mining. It is a symbol of land grabbing, a symbol of the betrayal of the sovereignty of the people of Amungsa. We demand justice for our rights that have been taken away", asserted Selak.
Even though the demonstration was peaceful, the action was blocked by officers from the Manokwari Municipal Police.
The following are the demands raised by protesters in several cities in Indonesia on April 7 as summarised by Suara Papua:
- Close PT Freeport, BP LNG Tanguh and restore the people's sovereign rights
- Stop military operations and withdraw all organic and non-organic military from Papua
- Stop the national strategic projects (PSN) in Merauke, South Papua, Fak-Fak, West Papua and Sorong, Southwest Papua
- Close all illegal companies throughout the West Papua homeland
- Revoke the revisions to Law Number 34/2025 on the TNI, reject the Dreft Law on the National Police and the Draft Broadcasting Law
- Give the right of self-determination as a democratic solution for the Papuan people
- Reject the government's free nutritious meals (MBG) program
- Stop the criminalisation and killing of Papuans
- Allow foreign journalists to report in Indonesia, especially in Papua
- Thoroughly investigate cases of human rights violations in Papua
- End the Sorong Special Economic Zone (KEK) development project
- Stop the gagging of democratic space and stop the criminalisation of Papuan pro-independence activists
- Enact the Draft Law on Indigenous Peoples
- Stop mining exploration in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Tolak UU TNI dan Hak Penentuan Nasib Sendiri Bagi Papua Digemakan".]
Source: https://suarapapua.com/2025/04/08/tolak-uu-tni-dan-hak-penentuan-nasib-sendiri-bagi-papua-digemakan/
