Sorong, Jubi – Three civilians were reportedly shot in Muara Aifam, East Central Aifat district, Maybrat Regency, Southwest Papua province, on Thursday evening (Aug. 13, 2026). The alleged shooters were Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) personnel stationed at Sory Post.

The Kaki Abu Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Kaki Abu) said the victims were Anike Fatie, Silvester Assem and Selviana Sory. The three were in the vicinity of Anike Fatie's garden in the Muara Aifam area when the incident occurred.

According to the foundation, after working at a small shelter near the garden, Anike went to a nearby river to bathe, accompanied by three dogs.

At around 5:20 p.m. local time, she heard gunshots. Anike initially thought the sound was firecrackers. After looking around, however, she realized that it was gunfire.

LBH Kaki Abu said preliminary information indicated that Anike attempted to flee after hearing the shots. She was reportedly shot from behind and sustained a gunshot wound to her shoulder.

The three dogs accompanying her to the river were also reportedly shot. Silvester Assem, who was near the shelter, also heard the gunfire. Panicked, he attempted to leave the area and seek safety, but was reportedly shot in the thigh, with the bullet passing through.

Another victim, Selviana Sory, who was also near the shelter, was reportedly struck by gunfire in the calf, with the bullet passing through.

Leonardo Ijie, director of LBH Kaki Abu, urged the government and military authorities to review the deployment of armed personnel in Maybrat.

He questioned whether the deployment of TNI AL personnel was in line with their mandate, security requirements and the protection of civilians.

Ijie said the alleged shooting should also be viewed in the context of the security situation ahead of Indonesia's Independence Day on Aug. 17. He urged the government to ensure that no operations or so-called "security conditioning" measures put civilians at risk.

"We strongly question why there was an alleged shooting of civilians just days before Aug. 17. What was the objective? Who was this 'conditioning' intended for? People must not be made to feel afraid by the presence and use of weapons," Ijie said on Friday (14/08/2026).

He said the alleged involvement of TNI AL personnel in the shooting must be openly clarified.

The presence of armed personnel in civilian areas, he said, must be assessed in terms of their mandate, duties, chain of command and rules governing the use of force.

If TNI AL personnel stationed at Sory Post were indeed responsible for the shooting, Ijie said the institution must explain publicly the basis and mandate for their deployment there.

"Authorities must ensure there is no mismatch in the assignment of personnel, especially if naval personnel are deployed in inland and forest areas and civilians end up becoming victims," he said.

He stressed that his criticism was not intended to generalize about all TNI AL personnel, but rather to question the policy governing troop deployment and the use of force in light of the alleged shooting.

If armed personnel are required in the area for a particular task, he said, the government and military must explain the basis for their deployment to the public, including the operational area, purpose of the deployment and mechanisms for supervising personnel.

Ijie also stressed that Papua must not continue to be viewed primarily through a security lens.

An overly security-focused approach, he said, risks increasing public fear and widening the gap between communities and the state.

"Do not turn Papua into a security business. Not every problem in Papua should be answered with more troops, weapons and security posts. Security forces keep being added while civilians are being shot. The government must have the courage to evaluate this approach," he said.

Leonardo urged the Maybrat regency government not to remain silent over the alleged shooting. The local government, he said, must stand up for civilians and ensure that the victims receive medical treatment and legal protection.

The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) was also urged to visit the area and conduct an independent investigation into the alleged shooting.

Source: https://en.jubi.id/three-civilians-in-maybrat-allegedly-shot-by-indonesian-navy-personnel