Checkpapuanow.com – A civilian woman has reportedly died during a military operation in Jaindapa Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency. The Papua office of Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) confirmed the incident, identifying the victim as Hetina Mirip, a local resident.
According to Frits Ramandey, Head of the Komnas HAM Papua Secretariat, Hetina was killed during a joint military operation conducted by the Indonesian Army’s Task Force Habema on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Ramandey stated that the victim’s body was only discovered nine days later, on Friday, May 23, under deeply distressing circumstances in Intan Jaya.
“Our field partners reported that she was buried in an undignified manner,” Ramandey told reporters on Monday, May 26. “Part of her body remained exposed due to improper burial, suggesting a lack of humanity in the process.”
While Komnas HAM has not yet verified whether the bullet that struck Hetina was fired by Indonesian security forces or members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the incident has sparked serious questions about the treatment of civilians in conflict zones.
“In the local Migani tribe’s tradition, women must never be subjected to violence, let alone become casualties of armed conflict,” Ramandey explained. “We are still working to verify who was responsible for the shooting.”
In a separate statement, Antonia Hilaria Wandagau, daughter of the deceased, urged Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to acknowledge the escalating civilian toll of the ongoing conflict in Papua. Through a statement released by the Civil Society Coalition, Antonia described the traumatic moments of the military raid that ended her mother’s life.
“My mother, Hetina Mirip, was not a combatant. She was not part of an armed group, nor an enemy of the state. She was simply a Papuan woman and a homemaker,” Antonia said. “The military came, surrounded our house, shot my mother, and set her body on fire in our yard—right in front of me. She was buried without ceremony, without justice.”
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) have yet to respond to requests for comment. CNN Indonesia attempted to reach the Head of the TNI Information Center, Major General Kristomei Sianturi, but there has been no official reply as of this report.
The military previously announced the killing of 18 alleged members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM) in an operation that same day. According to the joint task force’s spokesperson, the engagement took place from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. local time and targeted several villages in Sugapa District, including Jaindapa.
While the military insists all 18 individuals were members of armed separatist groups, human rights observers and local church leaders have presented conflicting accounts. The Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) reported that at least three civilians were among the dead. Reverend Ronald Rischard Tapilatu, head of PGI Papua’s office, emphasized that these individuals lived in areas where the firefight occurred.
The TNI reiterated on May 20 that all individuals killed in the May 14 operation were confirmed members of OPM. “This has been communicated clearly to the local population,” said Maj. Gen. Kristomei Sianturi at the time.
As tensions in Intan Jaya continue, calls for accountability and independent investigation into civilian casualties are growing louder. Komnas HAM Papua has pledged to continue monitoring the situation and verifying facts on the ground. Meanwhile, families affected by the violence are left waiting for answers—and justice.
