Wamena, Jubi – Agus Kossay, chairman of the Central Committee of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), has urged police in Jayapura City and Jayapura Regency, Papua, to learn from police chiefs in three other regions in Papua in handling demonstrations.

Kossay made the statement following what he described as a repressive police response that led to clashes with protesters in Perumnas III Waena, Heram District, Jayapura City, and Sentani, Jayapura Regency, during demonstrations against the New York Agreement on Saturday (15/08/2026).

He said the Jayapura City and Jayapura police chiefs should learn from their counterparts in Jayawijaya Regency, Highland Papua; Nabire Regency and Mimika. Regency, Central Papua, in managing demonstrations.

According to Kossay, police chiefs in the three regions were able to establish effective communication with protesters, allowing demonstrations held there on the same day to proceed peacefully and orderly. He said the three police chiefs had provided broad space for Papuans to express their views peacefully and with dignity.

"I appreciate the Jayawijaya, Nabire and Mimika police chiefs and their personnel. They have genuinely learned about law and democracy. On August 15, the Jayawijaya, Nabire and Mimika police chiefs gave Papuans broad democratic space to express their views in public," Kossay said on Sunday (16/08/2026).

Kossay also criticized the police response in Jayapura City and Jayapura Regency, which he said was repressive toward protesters, including KNPB activists and students.

"I want to tell the police officers serving in Jayapura City and Jayapura Regency that repressive actions are unacceptable. They should learn from the police in neighboring regencies," he said.

Kossay said the approach taken by police in Jayapura City and Jayapura Regency amounted to restricting democratic space for Papuans in the area.

Such an approach, he said, would not address the roots of the political conflict in Papua. Instead, he argued that the state, through its security forces, should build stronger communication with communities by adopting a persuasive and human rights-based approach.

Kossay called on the Papua Police chief to evaluate officers involved in restricting democratic space, saying they appeared to lack an understanding of democracy and humanitarian values as foundations of Indonesian law.

Source: https://en.jubi.id/police-in-jayapura-urged-to-learn-from-other-regions-in-handling-demonstrations