PAPUA - The Central Headquarters Management of the National Command of the West Papua National Liberation Army gives high appreciation to the release of the documentary film titled "Pesta Babi" produced by the collaboration of journalist Victor Mambor from Jubi media and Dandhy Laksono from Watchdoc.

​This appreciation was conveyed directly by the Spokesperson of the National Command of the West Papua National Liberation Army, Sebby Sambom, Thursday (28/5/2026).

​The cinematic work is viewed as an important part of public education as well as an effective media advocacy tool to reveal the real humanitarian situation in the land of Papua to the international community.

​Media investigation is considered to have a crucial role in disseminating facts globally regarding various events of Human Rights violations, indications of genocide, as well as the ongoing dynamics of armed conflict. The presence of professional and independent journalists through such visual documentation is considered capable of opening the world's horizon regarding Indonesian military policies and actions.

​This advocacy step through the mass media is viewed as a strategic instrument that cannot be ignored in the dynamics of the Papua nation's struggle.

​The screening of the documentary film faces challenges in the field due to the emergence of acts of intimidation and psychological terror against citizens who intend to hold joint viewing activities. One form of mental and physical pressure is said to have befallen Mama Yasinta Moiwend in Merauke, who previously vocally voiced opposition to national strategic projects. As a result of the massive pressure from the security forces, the stance and statements of support of the concerned individual were then twisted to obscure the facts of the rejection that actually occurred in the indigenous community.

​Repressive policies and the presence of the Indonesian military in the land of Papua are viewed as having a very long and consistent historical track record since the military invasion event that began on 1 May 1963. The security operation patterns run by the joint forces are assessed as not having undergone fundamental changes and continue to persist until now.

​The presence of comprehensive visual documentation becomes very important as a comparative document over the single narrative produced by the security authorities formed by the Jakarta government.

​The track record of international journalistic investigation in conflict areas has actually been pioneered since previous decades by a number of senior foreign journalists. One important reference is the documentary work of a senior journalist from the broadcasting institution SBS Australia, Mark Davis, who successfully penetrated the hinterland during the hostage liberation operation era in Mapenduma in 1996.

​Mark Davis conducted a series of in-depth interviews with important figures such as Titus Murib in the Nduga region to obtain a balanced perspective directly from the field.

​The results of the in-depth investigation from the international media were then widely broadcast through the global news channel SBS World News and became an important document in the history of the conflict. The journalistic report highlighted the alleged use of international humanitarian institution attributes and Red Cross helicopters by the commando forces led by Prabowo Subianto in the military operation. Legal facts and testimonies from the victims in the field have been compiled in detail by the international advocacy work team based in Australia.

​The public narrative developing at the Indonesian domestic level currently also reaps sharp scrutiny, especially after the implementation of the general election process that placed a figure with a military background as the head of state. The budget efficiency policy rolled out by the central government is said to ignore the basic needs of the community and has the potential to increase poverty rates in various regions. The economic development pattern that prioritizes large-scale exploitation of natural resources continues to run along with the entry of foreign investors.

​The impact of the economic policies that rely on the expansion of large corporations is not only felt in the land of Papua, but extends to the regions of Kalimantan, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Maluku, to East Nusa Tenggara. Agrarian conflicts in the form of seizure of customary lands belonging to local communities for the benefit of industry and monoculture plantations are reported to continue to increase significantly. Even on the island of Java, repressive actions in the form of forced evictions and demolition of civilian settlements by the Indonesian military often trigger physical clashes that harm the little people.

​Efforts to document the conflict conditions in the interior of West Papua continue to run continuously through the presence of foreign independent researchers and journalists in the subsequent period. In 2007, Dominic Brown along with Sally conducted field research by staying for a full month in the Tingginambut region to record the daily lives and testimonies of indigenous residents. The results of the comprehensive investigation regarding humanitarian conditions and alleged torture were then officially published through the Asian Human Rights Commission based in Hong Kong.

​The visual documentation generated from Dominic Brown's field research was released in a documentary film known internationally under the title "Feared Paradise" or "Forgotten". In addition to recording the activities of the defense forces under the command of General Goliath Tabuni, the filmmaking team also succeeded in conducting an exclusive interview with former political prisoner Yusak Pakage at Dian Harapan Hospital, Waena. Academic journals and scientific reports regarding the socio-psychological conditions of the Papuan people were also published by professors from the Australian National University after conducting direct inspections in Wamena.

​The gathering of facts and the making of documentary films continue to be updated by the next generation of journalists, including visual reports released in the middle of 2023 and 2024 by international filmmakers Kristo and Catch. This latest documentary film presents actual data regarding the conditions of internal refugees as well as the impact of the use of aerial bombs in the defense conflict areas. The report is strengthened by documentation of direct interviews with a number of defense regional command leaders, including the late Commander Lamek Tablo, Nanias Anis Serky Mimin, as well as Enos Alkmabin.

​The West Papua defense authority states that in today's era of information openness and sophisticated digital technology, any form of repressive action against civilians will not be able to be hidden from the world's watch. Efforts to scapegoat freedom fighters for the deaths of civilians are judged as a form of worn-out propaganda that is easily debunked by authentic evidence in the field.

​TPNPB emphasizes their compliance with the principles of international humanitarian law in carrying out the function as a national liberation army that protects the basic rights of indigenous citizens.

​TPNPB also states readiness to open space for communication and diplomacy only with progressive Indonesian community elements, academics, as well as intellectuals who respect the right to self-determination for the Papuan nation. A firm stance regarding the future of bilateral relations post-independence has been clearly formulated as part of the formation of new laws and foreign policies. TPNPB even emphasizes that the mastery of the guerrilla battlefield in the mountains and customary forests becomes a defense fortress that will not be easily penetrated even by large-scale military operations. (One Papua)