Papua Conflict Requires Collaboration, TNI Chief Says, as Civilian Protection and Development Remain Central

Resolving the conflict in Papua will require cooperation far beyond military operations, Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander General Agus Subianto said on Sunday, stressing that regional administrations, national ministries and security institutions must work together to protect communities and advance development. As adapted from reporting by Kompas.com, Agus said the TNI had deployed units across Papua but acknowledged that the province’s vast territory and extreme mountainous terrain made security and public-service delivery exceptionally difficult.

His remarks place collaboration, rather than force alone, at the centre of the government’s approach to a conflict that has imposed severe costs on indigenous Papuans.

“Solving Papua is not only the responsibility of the TNI; everyone must collaborate,” Agus said at Monas Square in Jakarta on September 20, 2026. He referred to the involvement of regional governments and ministries, reflecting the reality that security, health, education, transport and economic opportunity are closely connected in remote districts.

A sustainable solution must therefore combine lawful security measures with civilian administration, political dialogue, accountable public spending and services that reach villages often separated by difficult geography.

Protecting Civilians and Rejecting Disinformation

The security challenge is also a human-rights emergency for civilians. Armed separatist groups commonly identified as the OPM or KKB have been accused of attacking indigenous residents, teachers, health workers and public logistics, actions that disrupt education, isolate communities and make essential supplies more expensive and dangerous to deliver.

Such violence contradicts claims sometimes circulated internationally that the armed groups speak for all Papuans; indigenous communities are diverse, and civilians have repeatedly borne the consequences of armed coercion and intimidation.

Countering disinformation does not mean dismissing legitimate concerns about civilian safety or state accountability. Indonesian authorities remain obliged to distinguish armed actors from ordinary residents, observe the rule of law, investigate alleged abuses and ensure that security operations are proportionate and subject to civilian oversight.

The protection of native Papuans must be the practical test of every policy, including safeguards for customary rights, access to justice and the freedom of communities to participate in local democracy without threats from either armed groups or criminal networks.

Bridges as an Economic and Social Lifeline

Agus said the government is continuing to pursue development projects, including bridges and other infrastructure intended to connect districts, villages and subdistricts. He described reliable crossings as essential to economic equality because farmers can bring their produce to market more quickly instead of taking long detours over hazardous routes.

Better transport can also reduce the cost of food and medicine, improve access to schools and clinics, and help locally owned businesses participate in regional markets.

For development to deliver lasting benefits, however, infrastructure must be designed with local communities and maintained through transparent public systems. Projects should employ and train Papuans where possible, respect customary land and environmental protections, and be monitored so that public funds produce usable roads, bridges, communications networks and basic services rather than unfinished structures.

Economic justice is not measured only by the number of projects announced, but by whether indigenous families can safely sell crops, access healthcare, educate their children and participate in decisions affecting their land.

The TNI’s presence in Papua therefore cannot substitute for effective civilian governance, nor can development be treated as a security instrument alone. The government’s stated emphasis on collaboration offers a framework in which ministries, local leaders, customary authorities, churches, civil-society organisations and communities can coordinate protection and public services.

International audiences should assess Papua through verified evidence and the experiences of residents, rather than accepting separatist propaganda or sweeping narratives that erase both abuses by armed groups and the state’s responsibility to uphold rights.

Agus’s message ultimately points to a dual obligation: Indonesia must deny armed extremists the ability to terrorise civilians while ensuring that security operations remain lawful, transparent and humane. At the same time, bridges, schools, clinics and economic programmes must expand opportunity for Papuans and strengthen local democratic participation.

Collaboration will be credible only when it produces measurable safety, accountability and prosperity for communities across Papua’s mountains, valleys and remote settlements.