On 27 October 2025, residents of Kinmom-Snerbo Village in Biak Regency, Papua Province, staged a road blockade to protest the Indonesian Air Force's (AURI) continued construction activities on their traditional farmland.
The protest began in the morning hours as the community, consisting mostly of subsistence farmers, expressed outrage over the destruction of their gardens. The gardens are their main source of food, income, and education for their children. The villagers accused the Air Force of forcibly evicting them without prior consultation or compensation, in disregard for their customary land rights.
According to local accounts, the conflict escalated after AURI personnel and contractors began clearing and building on land that has been cultivated by the community for generations. The Kinmom-Snerbo villagers, whose livelihoods depend on these farmlands, have long used the area for planting staple crops and supporting family welfare. The construction resulted in damage to mature crops and newly planted gardens, effectively depriving the families of their primary means of subsistence. In response, the villagers blocked access roads to the construction site to halt further destruction and demand dialogue (see photos below, source: independent HRD).
For decades, the people of Kinmom-Snerbo have maintained peaceful and productive use of the area, in line with traditional Papuan land stewardship practices. The current military intrusion represents a violation of the community's customary rights and raises concerns regarding Indonesia's compliance with national and international human rights standards, including the right to property, livelihood, and participation in decisions affecting indigenous land (as enshrined in Articles 17 and 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ILO Convention No. 169).
The affected communities have urged the Indonesian government and the Air Force to immediately cease all construction activities, enter into transparent consultations with the affected community, and provide restitution for destroyed farmland. The local government is called upon to respect the principles of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and to ensure that the rights of indigenous Papuans are fully protected in all military and development projects in the regency.