PUNCAK JAYA – Deep sad news again blankets the land of Papua, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. A 7-year-old girl named Miss Aliko Walia was reported passed away at Mulia Hospital, Puncak Jaya Regency.
The victim breathed her last breath after surviving from a gunshot wound allegedly released by TNI personnel in Kemburu District, Puncak Regency, in a military operation that has been ongoing since the beginning of last April.
This heartbreaking death adds to the long list of casualties from the civilian population, at the same time reinforces that the escalation of the humanitarian crisis and armed conflict in Papua has reached a very worrying point throughout the period of March to mid-April 2026.
Continuous military operations launched in the Central Highlands region, especially in Puncak, Sinak, Pogoma, Kemburu, and Ilaga, have resulted in the falling of many civilian victims and triggered a massive wave of displacement that is unstoppable.
This series of armed violence culminated in air and ground combat operations that broke out on April 12, 2026, in Pogoma and Kemburu Districts. In fact, Kemburu previously had been agreed upon by TNI, TPNPB, and church authorities as a neutral zone that is safe for civilians and the displaced persons.
However, the agreement was violated when combat operations involving helicopters and drones began bombarding residential settlements on the morning of April 13, destroying houses and local livestock facilities.
Based on field reports, the situation in the Kemburu-Pogoma region is very horrific with 15 people confirmed dead and 7 others wounded. This humanitarian tragedy hits the most vulnerable groups, including women, children, and the elderly.
Testimonies from local residents reveal the existence of extreme violence practices, starting from the throwing of grenades into residential homes and honai, to the direct shooting of civilians in zones that are not active combat areas.
The massive impact of this militarization has totally paralyzed the social fabric of the community in the Central Highlands. Until mid-April 2026, the number of internal refugees in Papua has increased surpassing 107,000 people.
Residents were forced to walk on foot crossing forests and mountains toward Timika, Nabire, and Jayapura for the sake of saving themselves.
Puncak Airport even has been repurposed to be an emergency shelter point for hundreds of families who lost their homes, while at least ten villages are reported completely empty left behind by their inhabitants as a result of the ongoing siege.
In the midst of this emergency situation, access to health services and humanitarian aid is very isolated. Destroyed infrastructure leaves many injured victims untreated during critical periods, so that the medical evacuation process completely depends on the bravery of the Indonesian Red Cross staff, church parties, and local customary leaders. Information blockade also occurs along with the existence of intimidation against activists, journalists, as well as the seizure of communication devices by authorities.
Responding to the crisis that continues to take casualties, TPNPB Spokesperson Sebby Sambom stated his firm stance. "TPNPB strongly condemns military attacks that continue to target civilian settlements and demands the immediate withdrawal of all security forces from public spaces, including schools and churches, so that an independent investigation can be immediately conducted," said Sebby Sambom.
Strong demands now come from various elements of civil society and international humanitarian institutions so that the government immediately stops military operations in all settlement zones.
The opening of access for humanitarian aid without hindrance becomes an absolute requirement to prevent further loss of life, which must be accompanied by a comprehensive political dialogue as the only long-term way out to resolve the conflict that continues to burn in Papua. ***