August 8, 2025 | 06:00 pm
The Head of Information for the TNI's XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command, Colonel Candra Kurniawan, has asserted that burning the Indonesian flag is an unjustifiable act, even when committed by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) militia.
Candra condemned the deliberate act of burning the flag, which he claims is intended to intimidate the public from participating in the celebration of Indonesia's 80th Independence Day in Papua.
"For this reason, we have coordinated with the National Police, local government, and the community to locate and prevent such actions from reoccurring," Candra told Tempo in a brief message on Friday, August 8, 2025.
Regarding reports of flag removal and seizure from TNI-Polri personnel, Candra claimed that the information has not yet been verified.
"Until now, there have been no reports submitted by soldiers assigned in the Star Mountains concerning flag seizures and the start of OPM's attack operations," he said. "However, acts of terror such as flag burning and propaganda are unjustified. We will ensure that this does not happen again," he stated.
As previously reported, the TPNPB-OPM militia in Kodal XV Ngalum Kupel burned a number of Indonesian flags in the Pegunungan Bintang Regency, Papua Pegunungan, on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
TPNPB-OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom stated that the flags were obtained by removing and directly seizing them from TNI-Polri personnel while they were hoisting flags at various points in the Bintang Regency.
"We burned them as a clear symbol of rejecting Indonesian colonization in Papua," Sebby said in a brief message on Friday, August 8, 2025.
However, he continued, the TPNPB militia did not use violence against TNI-Polri personnel found hoisting the flag in strategic locations or on the roads. TPNPB, he continued, only disarmed TNI-Polri personnel, especially those with firearms and ammunition.
"We ask them to leave Papua immediately and remind them about the prohibition of raising the Indonesian flag in Papua," Sebby said.
Furthermore, the TPNPB has instructed its 36 regional divisions (Kodap) throughout Papua to forbid the raising of the Indonesian flag during the August 17th celebrations. Sebby Sambom stated that indigenous Papuans and those who inhabit the land of Papua are only allowed to hoist the Morning Star flag and to conduct ceremonies on December 1st.
"We want the people of Papua to be educated that Papua is not part of Indonesia," Sebby said through a WhatsApp message on Saturday, August 2, 2025.
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