Indigenous Byak communities in Saukobye (Warbon) Village, North Biak District, Biak Numfor Regency, carried out a series of peaceful customary actions during June 2026 to oppose Indonesia's planned National Spaceport.
The actions included the declaration of Sasi Adat, the erection of a customary prohibition marker (Orwarek) in the form of a red cross, a boycott of a government consultation meeting, and public opposition to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the Papua Provincial Government and the Biak Numfor Regency Government. Indigenous representatives and the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) allege that the project is proceeding without the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the customary rights holders, while government authorities maintain that the project constitutes a strategic national development initiative.
Background
The proposed National Spaceport would expand upon the existing former National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) site in North Biak District. Indigenous representatives state that the underlying customary land dispute has remained unresolved for decades and argue that any further development should only proceed following meaningful consultation with, and the consent of, the recognised customary rights holders. Government planning documents and Indigenous representatives have cited different estimates regarding the size of the proposed project area.
Chronology of events
4 June 2026
Kainkain Karkara Byak (The House of Byak Tribes) formally notified the Biak Numfor District Police of a peaceful customary gathering to be held the following day in Saukobye (Warbon) Village. According to the notification, the event would commemorate World Environment Day while expressing opposition to what organisers described as unilateral claims by LAPAN and BRIN over customary land.
5 June 2026
The gathering proceeded as planned. Participants held discussions, issued a public statement, erected a customary prohibition marker (Orwarek) and declared Sasi Adat over the disputed customary territory. Organisers described the actions as peaceful customary measures intended to protect Indigenous land, forests, coastal areas and marine resources.
11 June 2026
Representatives of Kainkain Karkara Byak reportedly boycotted a government and BRIN consultation concerning the proposed National Spaceport, stating that participation would legitimise a planning process that had proceeded without resolving the underlying customary land dispute.
12-13 June 2026
On 12 June, the Biak Numfor Regency Government issued an official invitation to the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the National Spaceport between BRIN, the Papua Provincial Government and the Biak Numfor Regency Government. The ceremony was held on 13 June 2026 in Biak.
According to Indigenous representatives, members of the Warbon Indigenous community also erected customary barriers at the entrance to Saukobye (Warbon) Village on 13 June and reiterated their rejection of the proposed project, maintaining that the recognised customary rights holders had not consented to the use of their ancestral land.
17-19 June 2026
LBH Papua issued a series of public statements criticising the project and arguing that it failed to comply with the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent. The organisation called on the Government of Indonesia to suspend further project implementation until the customary land dispute had been resolved and urged relevant state institutions to investigate alleged violations of Indigenous peoples' rights.
Responses from authorities
Government representatives have described the National Spaceport as a strategic national project intended to strengthen Indonesia's space programme and promote scientific research, technological innovation and regional economic development. During the MoU signing ceremony, officials highlighted Biak's location near the equator as a strategic advantage for satellite launches and stated that the project would create opportunities for education, employment and investment. Government representatives also stated that consultation activities had been conducted with local communities.
These statements have been disputed by representatives of the Warbon Indigenous community, Kainkain Karkara Byak and LBH Papua, who maintain that the recognised customary rights holders have consistently withheld their consent to the project.
Human rights analysis
If the allegations are substantiated, the case may raise concerns regarding Indonesia's obligation to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples to participate in decisions affecting their customary lands and resources. The allegations engage the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent as reflected in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), as well as constitutional protections afforded to Indigenous customary communities under Indonesian law.
The peaceful customary actions undertaken by the Indigenous community also engage the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly under international human rights law.
Detailed case data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-093-2026
Region: Indonesia > Papua > Biak Numfor > North Biak
Total number of victims: dozens
1. Dozens, diverse unknown Indigenous Peoples cultural rights
Period of incident: 04/06/2026-20/06/2026
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Government
Issues: business, human rights and FPIC