Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Thousands of people are protesting in Papua, demanding the government replace Acting Governor Agus Fatoni with the Commander of the Military Regional Command (Kodam) XVII/Cenderawasih as the region's temporary governor.
The protest has been ongoing since August 11, 2025. Former Regent of Jayapura, Mathius Awoitauw, said the protest stemmed from Papua residents' dissatisfaction with the gubernatorial election and the re-voting process (PSU) in the province. According to him, the central government had manipulated the regional election in Papua from the beginning.
"The Papua regional election was originally set for a blank box, that's what the central government did from the start. However, due to a decision by the Constitutional Court, PDIP was able to nominate its own candidate," said Mathius when contacted by Tempo on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. "Otherwise, it would have been a blank ballot box election."
Acting governor appointed month before re-vote
One month before the re-vote, the Ministry of Home Affairs appointed Agus Fatoni as the acting regional head.
Mathius said Fatoni was deemed not neutral, as he had allegedly expressed support for candidates with connections to the central government to secure funding.
"That's why people are protesting him. Our people request for the Acting Governor to be replaced by the military commander," Mathius stated.
Tempo has attempted to seek confirmation from the Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, and the Acting Governor, Agus Fatoni, regarding the allegations and the people's demands, to no avail, as of the writing of this article.
Gubernatorial re-vote in Papua
The Papua Province conducted a re-vote for the Gubernatorial and Vice-Gubernatorial Election on August 6, 2025. Iffa Rosita, a member of the general elections commission (KPU), stated that there were two areas in Papua that conducted a PSU, namely the Papua province for the gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial election and the election of the regent and vice regent of Boven Digoel.
"And for the Papua Province, it was the only province that was challenged at the gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial election level out of a total of 310 cases registered at the Constitutional Court, while 23 others were at the level of mayor and regent elections," she said on August 4, 2025, as quoted from Antara.
The candidates for governor and vice governor participating in this re-election are Benhur Tomi Mano-Constant Karma and Mathius Fakhiri-Aryoko Rumaropen. Benhur-Constant is backed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDIP. Meanwhile, the Mathius-Aryoko is supported by 15 other political parties.