Indigenous communities in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, continue to oppose the implementation of Indonesia's National Strategic Project (PSN) for food security amid reports of encroachment on customary land, intimidation of Indigenous land defenders and environmental destruction. Between August and September 2026, several incidents in Ilwayab District highlighted growing tensions between Indigenous landowners, companies and security forces. Meanwhile, the Jayapura State Administrative Court rejected a legal challenge brought by five Indigenous Malind representatives against the environmental approval for a 135-kilometre access road through their customary land.
The Merauke PSN encompasses large-scale agricultural and infrastructure developments affecting an estimated 2.7 million hectares. While the government presents the programme as a means of strengthening national food security, Indigenous communities and civil society organisations have raised concerns about land dispossession, deforestation and the destruction of traditional livelihoods.
Customary land dispute in Ilwayab District leads to police investigation
On 23 August 2026, members of the Moiwend Buako clan discovered forest-clearing activities on their customary land during a patrol in Ilwayab District, Merauke Regency. According to Solidaritas Merauke, the activities were carried out by EIKA AMS KSO, a company involved in infrastructure development associated with the food security PSN and the construction of the new Wanam airport.
The clearing reportedly extended beyond customary land boundaries between the Moiwend Buako and Samkakai clans, affecting Indigenous communities in Bibikem and Yulili villages. The Moiwend Buako clan maintains that neither the company nor the local government had informed or consulted the customary landowners before the activities began. Community members suspect that the company obtained permission from selected individuals without securing the consent of all affected clans.
On 24 August, clan members returned to the site and found that construction activities were continuing. According to the community, they damaged sand-and-cement structures to stop the work and compel the company to negotiate with the customary landowners. Following the incident, the Ilwayab police chief requested that clan member Mr Ariston Moiwend Buako report to the police station. His family refused and instead demanded that the police identify those who had authorised construction on the disputed land.
At approximately 1:00 am on 26 August, a joint delegation of security personnel and local government representatives reportedly arrived at Mr Moiwend Buako 's residence. According to Solidaritas Merauke, the delegation included the Ilwayab police chief, a military commander, the district head, 15 Indonesian Army soldiers, nine armed men in civilian clothing and eight individuals suspected of belonging to the state or military intelligence agencies.
Feeling intimidated, Mr Moiwend Buako subsequently went to the police station to provide his account. He was not detained. Merauke Regency Police later issued two summonses for clarification and questioning concerning the alleged destruction and burning of sand-and-cement materials.
In statements issued on 21 and 22 September, Solidaritas Merauke and the Papua Merauke Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua Merauke) characterised the investigation as an attempt to criminalise an Indigenous land defender. LBH director, Mr Teddy Wakum, drew parallels with the 2025 prosecution of Vincent Kwipalo after they attempted to prevent an excavator operated by a sugarcane company from clearing customary land.
The organisations called on the police to discontinue the investigation against Mr Ariston Moiwend Buako, examine the legal basis for the company's activities and prevent further intimidation of the Moiwend Buako family. The solidarity group also urged the provincial and regency governments to protect the affected community and requested monitoring by Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).
Indigenous community reports removal of eight black crosses
On 2 September 2026, the Moiwend Buako clan erected eight black crosses at Molu, Babong, Yapel, Kelepi, Kakobodol, Ongabuk, Esrum and Obub. The crosses symbolised the community's opposition to the PSN and signified a customary prohibition on further activities within its territory. During a patrol on 5 September, community members discovered that all eight crosses had been removed. Coconut trees planted by the community had also reportedly been uprooted and discarded.
Solidaritas Merauke alleged that unidentified individuals supporting the PSN were responsible and described the incident as part of a broader pattern of intimidation. The identity of those responsible remains unknown. The coalition called on the Indonesian President, the Governor of South Papua Province and the Regent of Merauke Regency to establish a fact-finding team. It also demanded the suspension of government and corporate activities on the clan's customary territory until the underlying land dispute is resolved.
Administrative Court rejects Indigenous Malind challenge to 135-kilometre access road
On 18 September 2026, the Jayapura State Administrative Court rejected a lawsuit brought by five Indigenous Malind representatives against Merauke Regent's Decree No. 100.3.3.2/1105/2025, which granted environmental approval for a 135-kilometre access road connecting Wanam and Muting as part of the Ministry of Defence's food security project.
The plaintiffs, Simon Petrus Balagaize, Sinta Gebze, Liborius Kodai Moiwend, Kanisius Dagil and Andreas Mahuse, filed the lawsuit on 5 March 2026 under case number 9/G/LH/2026/PTUN Jayapura. They argued that construction had begun approximately one year before environmental approval was granted and that the project had proceeded without the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) of the affected Indigenous communities.
On 17 September, one day before the ruling, members of the Malind Anim Kondo Digoel Indigenous Peoples' Forum organised a protest march to the Merauke Regent's Office. Demonstrators carried red and black crosses, symbolising their rejection of the project and their determination to defend their customary territories.
The court dismissed the lawsuit, concluding that the environmental approval had complied with applicable legal requirements, including environmental impact assessment and public consultation procedures. The plaintiffs retain the possibility of appealing the decision.
The plaintiffs' legal representatives from Pusaka Bentala Rakyat and Greenpeace Indonesia criticised the ruling, arguing that the judges had failed to adequately consider testimony from four Indigenous Malind witnesses describing forest clearance before consultation with customary landowners.
According to the plaintiffs' lawyers, construction continued throughout the proceedings despite an instruction from the presiding judge to halt the works on 9 June 2026. Greenpeace's satellite monitoring indicated that the road had reached approximately 135 kilometres by September.Affected communities reported declining availability of traditional food sources and game animals, increased dust, higher temperatures and deteriorating water quality following forest clearance.
International scrutiny and unresolved human rights concerns
The developments follow earlier international scrutiny of the Merauke PSN. In March 2025, nine UN Special Procedures mandates raised allegations of human rights and environmental violations associated with the project and requested clarification from the Indonesian government.
The government responded in May 2025, rejecting allegations that the project violated human rights and environmental requirements. Solidaritas Merauke criticised the response as inadequate and called for direct monitoring by the relevant UN mandate holders.
The project's security dimension has also attracted criticism. The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) reported that approximately 2,000 Indonesian military personnel arrived in Merauke in November 2024 to support the food security programme. Civil society organisations have expressed concern that the deployment of security forces in areas affected by unresolved customary land disputes may contribute to intimidation.
Detailed case data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-131-2026
Location: Ilyawab, Merauke Regency, South Papua, Indonesia (-7.4504081, 139.1221414)
Region: Indonesia > South Papua > Merauke > Ilwayab
Total number of victims: dozens
1. Ariston Moiwend Buako, male adult Human Rights Defender (HRD), Indigenous Peoples criminalisation
2. dozens, mixed unknown Indigenous Peoples intimidation
Period of incident: 23/08/2026-22/09/2026
Perpetrators:
Republic Indonesia > Government
Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Military (TNI)
Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Police > Indonesian National Police (POLRI)
Issues: business, human rights and FPIC, indigenous peoples
Sources: Suara Papua, Jubi, Nadi Papua, Suara Papua