On 25 July 2025, members of the Indonesian National Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) reportedly intimidated indigenous residents in Sailala Village, Sayosa Timur District, Sorong Regency, through social media. The threats reportedly followed a local protest against the presence of armed security forces guarding the activities of palm oil company PT Mancaraya Agro Mandiri (MAM).
The victim, identified as DS, a Sailala villager, received threatening WhatsApp messages from a Brimob officer named Gerson, who serves as a local post commander. The Papuan Legal Aid Institute filed an official complaint about the acts of intimidation to the Southwest Papua Regional Police (see photo, source: Jubi)
Tension in the area began in late June 2025 when residents of Sailala Village expressed growing unease over daily armed patrols by Brimob officers stationed to secure PT MAM's operations. Residents reported frequent gunfire and aggressive checks that made them feel unsafe. On 27 June 2025, villagers erected a blockade on the Sorong – Maudus road in response to these conditions. Two hours later, five Brimob members arrived in a vehicle and dismantled the barricade by force, kicking aside the wooden structures without prior coordination with the residents. An argument ensued between the officers and villagers, during which one officer insulted the villagers, addressing them as "provocateurs."
After the confrontation, the villagers, following customary practice, rebuilt the blockade. On 28 June 2025, a mediation meeting was held in Sailala between community representatives, PT MAM, the Sorong Regency government, the local parliament (DPRK), the West Papua People's Assembly (MRP-PBD), and security personnel. However, the Brimob officers involved in dismantling the blockade did not attend the meeting. Later that evening, at 9:57 pm, officer Gerson posted a WhatsApp status with a threatening caption reading: "Go ahead with your scenario as you wish... but remember, all humans eventually return to the earth. Do not forget your origins and your final destination." The message was accompanied by imagery identifying DS. The community understood this message as an act of intimidation.
Human rights analysis
The actions of the Brimob officers constitute acts of intimidation and a violation of the right to security as enshrined in Article 28G(1) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, which guarantees every person the right to feel secure and to be protected from threats of fear. Furthermore, under Law No. 39/1999 on Human Rights, Article 30 explicitly protects individuals from arbitrary intimidation or harassment by state actors. The use of social media to threaten civilians additionally fulfils the elements of a criminal act under Article 29 of the Law on Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE Law), which prohibits sending electronic communications containing threats of violence or intimidation, punishable under Article 45B with up to four years' imprisonment and a fine of up to IDR 750 million (about Euro 38,500).
The incident reflects a pattern of excessive militarisation and intimidation in the immediate vicinity of indigenous Papuan communities, particularly in areas affected by extractive corporate operations. Instead of providing protection, security forces have acted in ways that instil fear and disrupt community life, violating Indonesia's human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a party. In order to restore public trust, law enforcement institutions must not shield officers who commit human rights violations. The failure to act decisively will perpetuate impunity and deepen the sense of insecurity among indigenous communities defending their land rights against corporate interests.