On 28 July 2026, Indonesian Naval Military Police personnel shot and injured Mr Timotius Rumpaidus at his residence in Klalin 6, Warmon Village, Aimas District, Sorong Regency, Southeast Papua Province. Mr Rumpaidus is a civilian and former member of the Indonesian Navy. He sustained a gunshot wound to his left leg during an attempted arrest by seven reportedly armed personnel and was subsequently admitted to Dr John Piet Wanane Regional General Hospital (see photo on top, source: independent HRD).
The incident occurred at approximately 10.50 am, one day after residents held a peaceful demonstration against the timber-processing company CV Prima Papua. Residents alleged that the company's activities had caused environmental pollution affecting nearby residential areas and community fishponds. A notification letter dated 26 July 2026 identified Mr Rumpaidus as coordinator of the demonstration, which took place on 27 July and included a temporary blockade outside the company premises after the company allegedly failed to respond to the residents' concerns. The letter also referred to alleged irregularities involving subsidised biodiesel, although neither the environmental allegations nor the suspected illegal fuel transactions have been substantiated by an official investigation.
According to a witness testimony, seven armed personnel arrived at Mr Rumpaidus' residence on the following morning and asked to see him. A verbal confrontation and physical altercation reportedly followed. Thereupon, one of the personnel shot Mr Rumpaidus in the left foot (see photo below, source: independent HRD) and that at least one shot was also fired into the air. The personnel subsequently left the area in a Naval Military Police vehicle and a white Toyota Hilux. Residents subsequently transported Mr Rumpaidus to the Dr John Piet Wanane Regional General Hospital, where he was scheduled to undergo surgery on 29 July 2026.
Naval Military Police Commander for Kodaeral XIV Sorong, Colonel Feber Simandalahi, presented a different account. He stated that the operation was intended to enforce a final military court judgment sentencing Mr Rumpaidus to one year's imprisonment for desertion. According to Colonel Simandalahi, Mr Rumpaidus had been dishonourably discharged from the Navy and had refused to accompany the officers before allegedly attempting to seize an officer's firearm. He maintained that personnel fired two warning shots before shooting Rumpaidus in the leg and denied that the operation had any connection with CV Prima Papua, the community protest or the fuel allegations. The military reportedly intends to enforce the sentence once Rumpaidus has recovered.
Human rights analysis
The use of a firearm during an arrest engages Indonesia's obligations under Articles 6 of theInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protecting the right to life and Article 9 ICCPR on the right to liberty and security of person which prohibits state agents to conduct arbitrary detention or arrest. Under the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, firearms may be used only where less harmful measures are insufficient and where their use is strictly necessary to protect life or prevent serious injury arising from an imminent threat. Shooting a person merely to compel compliance with an arrest or prevent escape would not meet this threshold. The military's allegation that Mr Rumpaidus attempted to seize a firearm may be relevant to this assessment but must be established through an independent investigation rather than accepted solely on the basis of statements by military officials.
Detailed case data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-107-2026
Location: Aimas, Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua, Indonesia (-0.9569666, 131.3070473) Klalin 6, Warmon Village
Total number of victims: 1
1. Timotius Rumpaidum, male adult Indigenous Peoples ill-treatment
Period of incident: 28/07/2026-28/07/2026
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Military (TNI) > Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL)
Perpetrator details: Navy Military police (POM AL)
Issues: security force violence
Sources: Sorong Raya News, Info Pengawas Korupsi, Mtro Papua News