JAYAPURA – The General Chairperson of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Agus Kossay, delivered a powerful political oration before the masses at the Abepura Circle, Jayapura City, on Monday, April 27, 2026. In his statement, he firmly called on President Prabowo Subianto to immediately open a space for negotiations facilitated by a neutral third party to resolve the root causes of the conflict in the Land of Papua that has persisted for decades.
Agus Kossay emphasized that the situation in Papua has now reached a critical point due to the armed conflict between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and the Indonesian military apparatus (TNI-Polri). Based on gathered data, it is recorded that 107,039 Papuan civilians have been forced to flee across various regions. The condition of these refugees is described as deeply concerning due to the lack of adequate humanitarian assistance from both the Indonesian government and international human rights organizations.
"We call upon President Prabowo Subianto and his ranks to immediately open a space for negotiations facilitated by a neutral third party in resolving the root causes of the conflict in the Land of Papua that has occurred for decades," Agus Kossay asserted amidst the crowd of demonstrators carrying the national theme Papua as a Military and Humanitarian Emergency Zone.
He explained that the peaceful demonstrations carried out by students and the people in various regions, both inside and outside Papua, are clear evidence that the Papuan people continue to live under the shadow of violence, arrests, and torture during the military occupation. Agus Kossay specifically highlighted the military operations that took place in Puncak Papua during the periods of April 12-15 and April 19-23, 2026, which reportedly resulted in a dozen civilians killed, seven others injured, and tens of thousands forced to flee their homelands.
In addition to demanding a resolution for the refugees, the KNPB leader also urged the DPR, MRP, and President Prabowo to provide the widest possible democratic space for the Papuan people. He strongly criticized the actions of the apparatus who often restrict the rights of expression of students and demonstrators with the pressure of weapons and a massive military presence in public spaces.
According to him, if Indonesia truly claims to be a constitutional state that guarantees human rights, then the solution that must be taken is dignified international negotiations. "International negotiations as a solution to resolve the root causes of the conflict in the land of Papua and granting the right to self-determination for the Papuan people as a democratic solution, this is what must be done peacefully and with dignity," Agus Kossay added.
This statement serves as a harsh reminder to Jakarta that the humanitarian crisis in Papua can no longer be ignored. Handling civilian refugees and opening access for international aid have become urgent necessities to save thousands of lives currently displaced in forests and refugee camps without clear legal protection. ***