Source: Asia Pacific Report
Asia Pacific Report
The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) has condemned Australia and Indonesia conducting joint military exercises while Indonesian security forces have been conducting military operations against Papuan civilians.
About 1000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) military personnel with a similar number of Indonesian soldiers have been taking part in Exercise Keris Woomera 26 which began earlier this month and is due to end tomorrow.
It is this year’s largest overseas joint training activity for the ADF.
In a statement, Joe Collins of AWPA said Australians received the “usual mantra/statements from government” about how the exercise would “reinforce the strength” of Australia’s security relationship with Indonesia.
Collins said Australians were told: “Indonesia is an essential and enduring partner for Australia and it is significant that we share our largest overseas training activity for the year with the TNI and our ability to work together on this exercise reinforces our deep and longstanding partnership with Indonesia, underpinned by trust, mutual respect and close cooperation etc.”
However, “not so far away, the Indonesian security forces are conducting military operations against Papuan civilians and Australia says nothing”.
The Evangelical Christian Church (KINGMI) has called on the Indonesian government and humanitarian organisations to address reports of civilians fleeing their homes amid alleged military operations in the Korowai region.
The church’s Department of Justice and Peace (DKP) said it had received reports of increased military activity between October 12 and 14 in Danowage village, Yaniruma district, Boven Digoel Regency, and areas bordering Yahukimo Regency.
‘State of panic’
According to a Jubi report, the Head of the GIDI Department of Law and Human Rights, Reverend Jimmy Koirewoa, said that information from the indigenous Korowai people and other Papuan residents living in the area indicated the local population was in a “state of panic and had begun to flee”, fearing the impact of military operations.
“During military operations, local people flee because of their fear of the Indonesian security forces,” Collins said.
“They flee to the forest and can face starvation because they are afraid to go back to work in their food gardens. Each military operation creates more internal refugees.”
In an August update, Human Rights Monitor reported that there are more than 127,031 civilians across multiple regencies in West Papua remaining internally displaced due to military operations and armed conflict.
The GIDI Department of Law and Human Rights urged the Indonesian government and all relevant authorities to immediately halt the movement of troops — who are allegedly preparing for military operations within the civilian settlements of the Korowai people — and to withdraw forces from civilian areas where their presence is not required for legitimate operations.
They have also demanded that no military actions be taken that could endanger the safety of the community, incite fear, force residents to abandon their homes, or disrupt the daily lives and activities of the indigenous people.
“We emphasise that places of worship, residential homes, educational facilities, healthcare facilities, and other public amenities must be protected,” Collins said.
‘Traumatised civilians’
In a media release, the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) reported from Danowage village that following an Indonesian military deployment on October 12 and 13, the authorities immediately began a military operation the next day on October 14.
The operation “traumatised civilians”, who began fleeing that night to forests in the Boven Digoel, Oksibil, Mappi, and Yahukimo areas.
The Central High Command of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has also appealed to President Prabowo Subianto and his staff to immediately allow access for the International Red Cross, foreign journalists, and international human rights organisations to enter the armed conflict zone in Papua to address the humanitarian crisis and displacement of indigenous peoples in various regions of Papua.
Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/10/19/advocacy-group-condemns-joint-australian-military-training-with-indonesia-and-silence-over-papua/