PAPUA — The West Papua National Liberation Army stated its full readiness to shoot down any civilian or military aircraft that recklessly breaches the inland areas of the war zone in Tanah Papua, following the shooting incident involving an Associated Mission Aviation aircraft and the death of a United States citizen pilot.
"On this day, July 31, 2026, TPNPB provides responses to various suggestions, criticisms, and also condemnations by all indigenous Papuans especially, and also people from other nations, regarding the crisis situation in Papua due to the armed conflict war between the forces of the West Papua National Liberation Army and terrorist forces, namely the military and police of Indonesia in Papua," stated the Spokesperson for the TPNPB National Command from the Central Headquarters Management Control, Sebby Sambom, Friday (7/31/2026).
Sebby explained that the TPNPB response specifically targets the shooting incident of the AMA aircraft and the United States pilot, as well as the shooting of indigenous Papuan civilians identified as working for the Indonesian military.
"In this case we return to the specific, namely regarding the shooting of the AMA plane and the shooting of the American pilot. Then continuing to the shooting of indigenous Papuan civilians identified as Indonesian colonial agents or spies, or people who work for the Indonesian military and police as spies," said Sebby.
TPNPB strongly rejects various criticisms and condemnations from the public, Non-Governmental Organization activists, and internal Papuan community figures that corner the shooting action.
"Indigenous Papuans who essentially claim to be Free Papua fighters, but TPNPB speaks as NGO people who are HR workers like that. Yes, this kind of thing, people say slave mentality, or TPNPB can also suspect TPNPB is part of TNI-Polri agents to prolong the suffering of indigenous Papuans," uttered Sebby.
In the situation of revolution toward full independence, TPNPB emphasizes that all factions and struggle elements must unite in a single command without being divided by civilian norms or organizational boundaries.
"Why? Because in the revolution to fight for independence, even my own younger sibling, my father too, I can shoot if he works for the enemy, becomes an intelligence agent to kill me. That is not a problem. But killing fighters, that is part of hindering, harming the struggle for Papuan independence. Because those fighters, they are the ones who fight to liberate the Papuan nation from the crimes of the Indonesian colonial military and police," asserted Sebby.
Sebby asks that parties criticizing the actions of forces in the field stop acting like NGO workers and understand the intelligence situation in the war zone.
"Therefore, stop being NGO people. If you feel all are fighters, there is no term saying, 'I am another organization, another faction,' or 'I am part of a civil or political organization.' That is not used. In the revolution, all of that is one unity to realize independence. Remember well. Remember well," urged Sebby.
TPNPB considers criticisms cornering forces in conflict areas like Yahukimo as illogical actions from people who do not understand military and intelligence language.
"So, if a problem, remember yes, like happened in Yahukimo, anywhere, the killing of civilians, means not saying 'TPN is like this,' by people who claim to be fighters too, or leaders. This is funny. These are strange people or people who are not sane. Because if you do not know intelligence language, ask intelligence people. Like that. If it happens like that, means no need to blame this and that, right?" said Sebby.
Sebby stated that true, wise, and integral fighters and leaders will be ready to face crisis situations and take responsibility for speaking to the victims' families.
"If fighter people, wise people, charismatic people, people who have authority, people who have credibility, people who have integrity, then you must state that, 'Oh, Wene Ahyaga, Wene Nwamagari, Sambom Brikllok, Aro, Nyamalkilla penganne, wenesakabosali, Ulokde.' Remember yes. Like that. So, the problem has happened. So who to reject? All who claim Free Papua say, 'Okay, we are ready to talk.' Yes, convey to the victims' families that, 'Oh this is the condition.' So, the investigation whether there is or not, that later if TPN... forces... Free Papua soldiers ask to talk, wait at hany. Like that. TPNPB is also ready to compensate if TPN is wrong," explained Sebby.
TPNPB criticized the attitude of Papuan people deemed to corner the TPNPB struggle while ignoring the violence committed by the Indonesian military and police against civilians.
"These foolish Papuan people say supporting, supporting colonization with TPNPB statements that corner TPN. This is funny. Remember well, this situation is not fine. Still not fine in Papua. How come the police military kill pregnant women, small children in Puncak Jaya, in Puncak Papua, in Intan Jaya? When did ever say this is a human rights violation? Nonsense. Funny you guys, these Papuan people. Never hysterical. Society evacuating never talks, funny. Never turun demo, funny. Like that. So, I think stop," uttered Sebby.
Regarding the AMA aircraft shooting incident and foreign pilots in inland airstrips, TPNPB strongly denies narratives stating that TPNPB targets the Catholic religion or the Catholic Church.
"Because the shooting of the AMA plane and its pilot, that is also not a target. The ones who write build narratives that TPN targets the Catholic religion, the Catholic Church, there is no such thing. TPN already has an agenda. TPN has a strategy tactic how to herd the enemy to the negotiation table. We are not ordinary people that you take lightly. We know strategy tactics how our enemy team yes negotiations. But we know you Papuan people who comment criticisms, curse TPN, pity. Ask wisdom from God so you are wise, so you can design this struggle in such a way to produce independence faster," said Sebby.
Sebby reminded all struggle elements to focus on real action rather than getting trapped in office illusions or empty rhetoric without field strategy.
"Not dreaming, empty illusions. Sleeping, dreaming. 'Ah, I make Free Papua, I make this, I become president.' Stop. Free Papua is everyone talking. I usually say that philosophy. The village people philosophy, going hunting never tells the people. People in the village meaning, 'I kill a Wild Boar, you choose back legs, front legs, or head, tail?' Not usual. Go hunting, put at home, only later someone cooks. And there are also those who cut, share to feed people. Village people, like that," argued Sebby.
TPNPB reaffirmed to church leaders that flight shooting is not based on hatred of religious institutions, but the implementation of a total revolution agenda.
"Therefore, stop. TPNPB conveys, these church leaders all, especially the Catholic Church, that is not a target. But indeed TPN has strategy tactics, has a phased revolution agenda, total revolution. And that TPNPB has conveyed to the public generally, globally, that war areas no flights, no military load civilian planes, and others. Foreigners are prohibited from flying planes to the war zone. Foreign pilots, Indonesia too. Have conveyed repeatedly starting from Ndugama 2023, that hostage-taking, the statement always comes out every year, every month," asserted Sebby.
TPNPB explained its understanding of international humanitarian law enforcement where the evacuation of civilians was ordered before the war erupted.
"So here, TPNPB carries out the function of humanitarian law war that you a little bit... you nonsense. Humanitarian war says, before war is securing civilians. That duty part, TPNPB has conveyed that civilians immediately evacuate from the armed conflict area. And then TPNPB also announces, that total pos will start before 3 months. Indonesian immigrant people name it, please leave West Papua," said Sebby.
Meanwhile, TPNPB is determined to create a multidimensional crisis thoroughly across West Papua and reject government infrastructure development pretexts.
"So here TPNPB will not say other Papuans say nah this is community interest, development must be guarded, buildings must be guarded, also health services, like this. So education loses, health does not run. This situation, so TPNPB has ordered that school buildings or whatever, hospitals, burned down. Papua independent only then TPNPB builds again. Crisis must be a crisis. Remember! We must create a crisis in Papua, humanitarian crisis, economic crisis, crises. Only then TPNPB can expel colonizers," asserted Sebby.
TPNPB even conveyed threats of severe action against regional officials and civil servants deemed to work supporting the central government administration in Papua.
"If not, you these lonte: regents, governors, DPR, employees, section heads, all kinds, slave mentalities, work for colonials, lonte clean this up you guys. Faces clean up, lonte clean up, underwater all kinds in Papua, this is nonsense. Stop. Remember yes, TPN soldiers are flexible. TPNPB is not playing around!" said Sebby.
Sebby recounted his experience meeting an Acehnese colleague in Bangkok, Thailand, in mid-2023 who provided advice regarding internal element cleansing.
"There was a friend of mine, an Acehnese person, on August 13 or 14, 2023, an Acehnese friend of mine, we met in Bangkok, Thailand country, in the country capital, in Bangkok, he said to me like this, 'Pak Sebby, you are the spokesperson of TPN Comnat, so I message, you clean up those trash first before fighting the Indonesian Police Army. Fight the Young Cadet Army Ker Indonesia or those Young Indonesian soldiers.' I said, 'Friend, what do you mean?' I said, 'That trash already... governor, regent, camat, section head, village head, and civil servants who do not support Free Papua, clean up! Kill!' Listen! 'Unless they support Free Papua, they are protected. Those who do not support Free Papua, kill! Servants... nurses, kill! Fight the military police.' Like that," recounted Sebby.
TPNPB views crisis as an absolute path to traverse and instructs highland communities to cut dependence on food supplies from cities.
"So this crisis you want to wait, no one waits. TPNPB will not listen to who says this and that. Crisis must happen. Mountain people who hope for planes, return to the garden! Return to the garden, live in the village there by gardening. Do not expect food from the city, factory foods, that Indonesia brings, foods already expired, having diseases inside those foods. Because that is not healthy anymore. Return consume foods from gardens, that is healthy. There are meats in the forest, that is healthy. TPNPB will not be difficult. Like that. Listen this Papuans! Listen!" proclaimed Sebby.
TPNPB also instructed all troop ranks in every defense territory to shoot down any aviation fleet entering war zones or border areas.
"So TPNPB troops remember! Now all civilian or military aircraft entering border areas, ready to shoot! Ready to shoot! Ready to shoot! Ready! Like that. No playing around. Development or whatever all stopped. Papua independent first, only then TPNPB builds again. And pilots who fight, who side with TNI-Polri and move people, kill! Listen? What to wait for?" concluded Sebby. (One Papua)