Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has emphasized the need for strategic steps and national-scale policies to resolve the prolonged conflict in Papua. According to him, the partial approaches implemented so far have proven ineffective in curbing the increasingly worrying escalation of violence.
The statement was made following a report from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) which noted a significant increase in violence in Papua. Based on data, 97 conflict incidents were recorded throughout 2025, followed by an additional 26 cases until April 2026. Pigai highlighted the human tragedy that claimed around 20 lives within a one-month period in various regions, including Dogiyai, Yahukimo, and Tembagapura.
Pigai argued that public information openness has placed every violent incident in Papua under intense scrutiny, both nationally and internationally. This, according to him, demands the government to be more responsive so that Indonesia's human rights image does not continue to erode in the global eye.
Furthermore, he criticized the handling of the conflict, which has so far remained casuistic and individual. He emphasized that the root causes of the Papua issue will not be resolved without the courage to make cross-institutional political decisions.
"Resolving this conflict cannot be done individually. A mutual consensus is needed, involving the executive, legislative, judicial branches, political parties, and national figures, to formulate a fundamental and comprehensive solution," Pigai concluded.
