PAPUA — The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) provided a response to the statement by the Minister of Human Rights (HAM) of the Republic of Indonesia (RI), Natalius Pigai, regarding the rules of international humanitarian law of war and the involvement of civilians in armed conflict.
This statement was delivered to respond to journalists who covered the interview with the RI Human Rights Minister and requested an official stance from TPNPB.
"I am Sebby Sambom, Spokesperson of the TPNPB National Command. From the Central Headquarters Management control, on this day, September 23, 2026, we will answer questions from journalists who covered or interviewed the RI Human Rights Minister," said TPNPB National Command Spokesperson Sebby Sambom, Wednesday (23/9/2026).
Sebby emphasized that the basic stance of TPNPB is to give recognition and appreciation to the statement delivered by the RI Human Rights Minister.
"The Human Rights Minister is from the RI colonial government, brother Natalius Pigai, during the interview explained about humanitarian law of war, where he emphasized that Indonesian Security Forces, both Indonesian Security police, must not involve civilians in war," Sebby said.
Sebby explained that the RI Human Rights Minister also conveyed the limits of the law of war that apply to TPNPB forces in the field.
"On another matter, he also said TPNPB Forces must not kill civilians either. Like that. And journalists covering brother Natalius Pigai's statement asked us to respond to it. Therefore, on this occasion we respond," Sebby said.
TPNPB assessed that this firmness emerged after the political situation at the central level experienced changes.
"Yes, in principle we recognize and appreciate the firmness of the Human Rights Minister, the RI colonial government, Mister Natalius Pigai. We appreciate that, because for more than one year after President Prabowo announced his Red and White Cabinet, Brother Natalius Pigai as Human Rights Minister was silent in a thousand words and lost his mind," Sebby said.
Sebby considered that the influence from certain parties over the RI Human Rights Minister has now ended.
"But now the Javanese devil people who locked up Natalius Pigai are gone. So Natalius Pigai won. Fighting against evil people from Prabowo Subianto's devils who guarded Natalius Pigai, because we reprimanded Natalius Pigai, the Indonesian devils are gone," Sebby said.
Sebby assessed that the latest stance from the RI Human Rights Minister reflects the restoration of his leadership integrity.
"So Brother Natalius Pigai has regained integrity, and those devil people left, and good people entered his body and soul. Therefore we express appreciation and extraordinary. The devil has been defeated," Sebby said.
TPNPB outlined fundamental differences between government and non-government positions in armed conflict.
"Even so, we also need to convey that here in armed conflict, the actors are government and non-government. Like that. So there are differences. Government actors and non-government actors," Sebby said.
Sebby explained the binding international law for government military forces and the motivation behind TPNPB resistance.
"Usually government actors are strongly controlled by the United Nations (UN) and international humanitarian law in war. Why? Because non-government actors act as resistance rising up to defend themselves. So here there is cause and effect. That is what needs to be known by the public broadly," Sebby said.
Sebby mocked the understanding of the Indonesian public regarding the conflict situation occurring in Papua.
"Especially the Konoha Indonesian people who fail to understand, and their brains are full of evil people from devils, these infidels of theirs. Like that. So note this well. State and non-state actors have differences, there are also assessments from the perspective of international humanitarian law of war, and also by the international community, and by UN, and UN member states," Sebby said.
TPNPB revealed reasons behind actions taken against individuals suspected of being intelligence agents.
"Therefore once again we emphasize why TPNPB kills people suspected of being agents, even though they claim to be civilians. Yes, the legal basis is clear. We identify all Indonesian immigrants who come to take over, occupy land belonging to indigenous Papuans," Sebby said.
Sebby emphasized that the wave of immigrant arrivals is part of a territory occupation scheme.
"Or Indonesia comes to land belonging to indigenous Papuans, taking over land, and that land is part of the colonial government program. So all immigrants claiming 'we are civilians, or traders, or teachers, PKY, all sorts of things,' are all part of colonialism and illegal occupation to rob the rights of indigenous people," Sebby said.
Sebby assessed that territory occupation poses a serious threat to the survival of indigenous Papuan society.
"And the main goal is genocide or racial extermination. Like that. Therefore we TPNPB, as the military wing, as state experts, will not let a single bedbug sail in our land to conduct infiltrations, provide espionage, perform espionage with cover-up," Sebby said.
Sebby stressed TPNPB's commitment to stop all forms of intelligence activity disguised as civilians.
"Cover-up as, I mean civil safeguard or anything like that. Therefore we will not allow your intelligence activity. Listen, okay," Sebby said.
Sebby detailed TPNPB's reasons for tightening control and restrictions on movement in the conflict area.
"So if the functions or basic definition words are like this, why? We do this part of limiting our territory by Indonesian intelligence activity. We do this as part of limiting intelligence activity in our territory," Sebby said.
Sebby reminded of major consequences Papuan society would face if intelligence movement were left unchecked.
"Because if we let them, if we let them to move freely on our land, then Papuan genocide is already before our eyes. Like that. We do not understand. Papuans who fail to understand, who lack wisdom to understand well, and criticize TPNPB," Sebby said.
Sebby directed sharp criticism at human rights activists and West Papuan movement figures deemed passive.
"Civilians who are lucky to be killed, Jeffrey Wenda, Jeffrey Pagawak. Who else? Andi Yeimo. Where are you? Why you are silent? So you are work for who? You claim as West Papua human rights defender, freedom fighter activist, but you are nonsense. You are nothing for," Sebby said.
Sebby mentioned that the struggle of those activists brings no real impact on the ground.
"Like that. Where are you? Fighters with dreams. Empty. You have illusions. Empty dreams. Empty illusions," Sebby said.
Sebby mocked the ambitions of activist figures who imagine themselves like world revolution leaders.
"So you think, you want to be like Che Guevara, Ramos-Horta, Nelson Mandela, or Xanana Gusmao, or Desmond Tutu. Nonsense, all of you. Listen?" Sebby said.
Sebby re-emphasized the importance of understanding cause-and-effect dynamics in the Papua war situation.
"Therefore we emphasize again that there is cause and effect. To the Human Rights Minister, we acknowledge you indeed today returned to your own identity. The identity in yourself," Sebby said.
Sebby assessed that the RI Human Rights Minister was briefly influenced by political pressure before finally speaking out.
"Because for more than one year, you were locked up by evil people from ancient Java there. They used witchcraft, black magic to lock you up, but we have destroyed that," Sebby said.
Sebby encouraged the RI Human Rights Minister to consistently fight alongside the Papuan people.
"Natalius Pigai, move forward with the people, defend the rights of the nation. That is what is very important. Like that. So journalists, please report it," Sebby said.
Sebby closed his response by revealing the historical relationship and educational background he shares with Natalius Pigai.
"We appreciate again, it is good fortune. Recently I criticized him. That was not because we hated him. But he is one of my senior brothers. We used to study together in Yogyakarta. He studied at the Village Community Development College (STPMD) APMD in Yogyakarta back then," Sebby said. (One Papua)