On 20 October 2025, security forces opened fire at Moanemani Market, Kamu District, Dogiyai Regency, around 11:00 am. Three people were reportedly injured during the shooting. Later that day, security forces raided the Mauwa Village around 11:36 pm, resulting in the death of Mr Keni Dumupa, with one additional person arrested. Witness accounts indicate unnecessary and disproportionate use of firearms against unarmed civilians in a crowded marketplace and a residential area.
The incident reportedly escalated after a minor altercation following youths revving their motorbikes near the market police post at the Moanemani Market around 11:00 am. According to other accounts, two police officers drove at high speed through the crowded market, triggering anger. When reinforcements arrived at the market, the security forces opened fire, wounding Mr Yustinus Iyai, Mr Deserius Kotouki, and Mr Oya Waine (see photos and video below, source: WPCC). One civilian was reportedly arrested. Sporadic gunfire persisted in Moanemani until ~3:00 pm, with community movement heavily restricted.
Around 11:36 pm, further gunfire by security forces was reported from Mauwa Village, Kamu District. During the incident, Mr Keni Dumupa (see photo on top, source: WPCC) sustained a fatal gunshot to the stomach and died at the scene. Several reports assert joint security forces' responsibility for the fatal shooting. Only one conflicting media report alleged the victim was shot by members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). Keni's body was taken home and reportedly buried in Mauwa on 21 October 2025.
Human rights and legal analysis
The use of lethal force against civilians in a crowded market and a village setting engages the right to life under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 28A of the 1945 Constitution of Indonesia, as well as obligations under Law No. 39/1999 on Human Rights. Under the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, firearms may only be used as a last resort when strictly unavoidable to protect life, and their use must meet necessity and proportionality standards with due regard for precaution. Firing into or around crowds in response to a public order incident is prima facie incompatible with these standards. If TNI units act in a law enforcement role, they are required to comply with international law enforcement standards.
The wounding of three civilians by live fire in daytime market conditions indicates excessive use of force and dangerous crowd-control practices. Medical transfer delays due to limited facilities underscore the state's duty to facilitate urgent medical care to the maximum of available resources. The arrest of an unidentified civilian without disclosure of legal basis or access to counsel suggests arbitrary arrest in violation of Article 9 ICCPR and domestic due-process guarantees.
The killing of Mr Keni Dumupa constitutes a potential unlawful deprivation of life. Given contested perpetrator attribution, Indonesia has a duty to investigate promptly, effectively, thoroughly, and impartially, consistent with the Minnesota Protocol (2016), ensuring chain-of-custody-compliant forensic ballistics, autopsy or equivalent medical documentation, ensuring family participation rights and witness protection.