Displaced Central Highlands Villagers Don’t Want to Go Back Home

Over 2,000 villagers displaced from their homes in Nduga, Central Highlands due to ongoing armed conflict.

The Indonesian military troops have been deployed to Nduga to capture the West Papua Liberation Army. Military operations intensified last December when the Liberation Army killed about 16 Indonesians who were working on the Trans Papua Road project. An Indonesian researcher, YR Wangge said the Nduga Regent (Yarius Gwijangge) came to Wamena last week to meet the displaced people. "They wanted to ask the refugees to return to Nduga and ask President Joko Widodo to withdraw the military troops from their region. The regent even promised the internally displaced persons to evaluate the Trans-Papuan Road project with the central government."

Wangge said the refugees refused to return as they fear the military operations and do not trust the government officials. He said the regent's bid to request a withdrawal of troops from Nduga faced difficulty because President Widodo was busy with his election campaigns.

Meanwhile, Indonesian security forces have also been pressing the Nduga refugees to return home and participate in the polls.