YAHUKIMO – The Central Headquarters Management of the National Command of the West Papua National Liberation Army (KOMNAS TPNPB) has officially denied allegations of involvement in the shooting case of a Civil Servant (ASN) in Yahukimo that occurred on April 21, 2026. Through an official report from the TPNPB Operations Commander of Kodap XVI Yahukimo, Major Kopitua Heluka, TPNPB emphasized that the execution was carried out by Indonesian military personnel as part of a propaganda scenario.
TPNPB assesses that the killing of the ASN named Yemis Yohame is a systematic effort to create horizontal conflict within Papuan society. The Spokesperson for TPNPB-OPM, Sebby Sambom, in a press release on Friday, April 24, 2026, stated that the accusations against TPNPB are completely groundless and lack strong evidence. According to TPNPB, the state is using intelligence and military force to pit the Papuan people against each other to kill one another and lose trust in one another.
"The death of Yemis Yohame was purely carried out by Indonesian military personnel who shot the victim directly in the chest, yet they still deny their actions. We convey, based on facts and data in the field, that the perpetrators of the civilian shootings in Yahukimo are the TNI-POLRI or the Indonesian colonial military themselves. This is propaganda to pit TPNPB and the Papuan people against each other," said Sebby Sambom in his official statement.
TPNPB also disclosed a series of dark records of violence against civilians in Yahukimo from 2019 to 2026, cases of which are considered closed without justice for the victims. Several highlighted events include the shooting during the demonstration for Viktor Yeimo's release in 2021, casualties in the protest against New Autonomous Regions (DOB) and Special Autonomy (Otsus) in 2022, the mutilation case of two mothers in 2023, as well as a series of tortures and bomb attacks on mountain roads that killed civilians throughout 2024 and 2025.
The many unresolved cases are used as an indicator by TPNPB that Indonesian military personnel are constantly protected by the state despite evidence on the ground pointing toward their involvement. TPNPB urged the victim's family, the church, and the entire community not to believe the information disseminated by BIN, Bais, or the military that corners TPNPB.
"The Indonesian state is creating horizontal conflict among Papuans in Yahukimo through a scenario of executing residents and then accusing TPNPB as the perpetrator. This pattern has also occurred in Puncak Jaya, Sorong, Dogiyai, Ndugama, Intan Jaya, and the Bintang Mountains. Therefore, the main perpetrators are very clear, namely the Indonesian TNI-Polri military," Sebby Sambom asserted.
Closing his statement, TPNPB asked all Papuan people from Sorong to Merauke to remain united and maintain harmony between tribes. TPNPB is wary of a grand design through the government, economic, social, and political systems intentionally structured to divide the unity of the Papuan people. TPNPB also issued a stern warning to Papuans working as police assistants (Banpol) to immediately stop their activities or face the consequences in the future. ***