Jayapura, Jubi – A coalition of legal and human rights groups in Papua has called on Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to order the National Police chief to investigate a series of alleged terror attacks targeting human rights workers, journalists and the Papua office of Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights, known as Komnas HAM.
The Papua Law Enforcement and Human Rights Coalition issued the call following an incident on Wednesday morning in which an unidentified person allegedly threw a suspected Molotov cocktail onto the front verandah of the Komnas HAM Papua representative office in Jayapura.
The coalition argued that the incident should be investigated under Indonesia's anti-terrorism laws.
It said Indonesia's 2018 anti-terrorism legislation defines terrorism as acts involving violence or threats of violence that create widespread fear and may cause mass casualties or damage to strategic facilities, public infrastructure or other targets for ideological, political or security-related motives.
Based on that definition, the coalition said the alleged Molotov cocktail attack on the Komnas HAM Papua office contained elements that could constitute terrorism, including threats of violence and actions intended to create fear.
It called on police to enforce the relevant laws and thoroughly investigate the case.
The coalition said suspected Molotov cocktail attacks had occurred repeatedly in Jayapura in recent years, but those responsible had not been identified or brought before the courts.
"This naturally raises questions about the professionalism of the Indonesian National Police within the Papua Police jurisdiction in dealing with these repeated Molotov cocktail attacks," the Papua Law Enforcement and Human Rights Coalition said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the coalition's records, several previous suspected Molotov cocktail attacks remain unsolved.
In May 2022, a motorcycle and car parked in the garage of the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) office in Abepura were destroyed by fire in what was suspected to have been a Molotov cocktail attack.
In January 2023, a suspected Molotov cocktail was thrown beside the home of journalist Victor Mambor in the Angkasa Pura area of Jayapura.
Another suspected Molotov cocktail attack targeted the Jubi newsroom in Waena, Jayapura, in October 2024.
The coalition said the attacks recorded between 2022 and 2026 had all targeted people working in human rights and journalism.
It said the latest incident at the Komnas HAM Papua office showed that both independent human rights workers and state institutions involved in monitoring, investigating and mediating alleged human rights violations in Papua were facing threats.
The coalition said the Indonesian Government and police had an obligation to protect the right to safety and security of human rights workers, journalists and Komnas HAM staff.
It called on President Prabowo to immediately instruct the National Police chief to lead law enforcement efforts into the alleged Molotov cocktail attacks targeting human rights workers, journalists and the Komnas HAM Papua office.
The coalition also called for the Papua Police chief to establish a professional investigative team to fully investigate the cases.
It further urged Indonesia's Human Rights Minister to establish an oversight team to monitor law enforcement efforts, and called on the chair of Komnas HAM to coordinate with national and Papua police to ensure justice for those targeted in the alleged attacks.