In-depth journalism dissects the escalation of conflict in Papua, which has recently increasingly targeted civilians. The recent execution of three Indigenous Papuans (OAP) in Yahukimo Regency serves as an indicator of a shift in the armed groups' doctrine: from initially attacking state and corporate symbols to now targeting anyone accused of being a collaborator.
This changing pattern of violence is a far cry from the history of the conflict in 1977, when the sabotage of Freeport's slurry pipeline symbolized resistance against foreign corporations. Data from Amnesty International and Komnas HAM reinforces this concerning trend, recording hundreds of civilian and security personnel casualties due to recurring armed violence in recent years.
Strategic analysis shows that this conflict is rooted in the phenomenon of state capture, where regulations and natural resource extraction policies are shaped for capitalistic interests. This pattern is clearly visible in the dominance of Freeport-McMoRan operations, the extension of the Tangguh LNG contract in Bintuni Bay, and the giant Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) project that encroaches on customary forests.
On the other hand, the presence of security forces is inseparable from the local politico-economic network. Observers assess that post-1998 military reforms have not fully eradicated the security business, but rather reshaped it into security cooperation for vital objects and involvement in development projects. This economic-security structure is deemed to create internal barriers to sustainable peace efforts.
Under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, a new approach is being offered through a special mandate to oversee Papua issues assigned to the Vice President. However, at the same time, ambitious plans to develop the bioethanol industry and large-scale plantations in Papua are feared to expand land exploitation and worsen ecological damage.
The wide social gap, low Human Development Index (HDI) in Papua, and accountability issues regarding Special Autonomy funds further complicate the situation. The current government transition period serves as a crucial momentum to initiate inclusive political dialogue and resource governance reform. Without dismantling the nodes of extractive oligarchy, conventional security approaches are feared to only prolong the cycle of violence in the Land of the Cendrawasih.
