October 7, 2025 | 05:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A resident's house in Blandin Kakayo Village, Jagebob District, South Papua, was attacked by a group of people on late Monday, October 6, 2025, around 10:35 p.m. local time. The attack is suspected to be linked to the rejection of the sugarcane National Strategic Project (PSN) in the area.
Vincen Kwipalo, the homeowner, said that evidence of the attack was discovered on Tuesday morning, as the 67-year-old man and his family opted to stay inside the house during the ambush. "The front and side windows were broken, and the terrace was destroyed," he said when contacted on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
Outside the house, a bow, an air gun, a machete, and a slingshot were found. There were also arrows stuck in trees and windows.
Vincen said he recognized the four attackers. He suspected the attack to be linked to the land dispute over the sugarcane project not far from his house. "This incident is related to previous cases," he said.
In response to this issue, Vincen, accompanied by his lawyer from the Papua Merauke Legal Aid Institute, reported the incident to the Jagebob Resort Police. According to Vincen, the police have also visited his house to inspect and collect evidence. "Arrows and other items were taken by the police this morning," said the environmental activist.
Vincen repeatedly stated that his clan, Kwipalo, from the Yei Tribe, vehemently opposed the presence of the Merauke PSN project, which aimed to take over their ancestral land in Jagebob District. His stance differs from around 10 other clans in his village who have relinquished their ancestral land to PT Murni Nusantara Mandiri (PT MNM) for the sugarcane project.
Conflicts between the company and the Kwipalo clan are inevitable and ongoing because the company, as mentioned by Vincen, continues its land grab. Workers from other clans are met with rejection froom Vincen while attempting to clear the land.
Vincen refused to give up the ancestral land of the Kwipalo clan. According to Vincen, his family has made a living from the forest. In addition to the threat of losing their livelihood, he realized that deforestation would lead to environmental damage and loss of biodiversity.
According to Vincen, representatives from PT MNM have visited his house several times to persuade him to release the ancestral land. In a letter dated July 2024, the company offered a goodwill payment of Rp420 million for 1,400 hectares of land. But that was less than the land he owned as recorded by Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation, reaching 2,308 hectares.
Tempo has sent a letter for confirmation addressed to the Director of PT Murni Nusantara Mandiri, Joko Herma Pramulyo, on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Joko is also listed as the director of PT Global Papua Abadi, which both work on the sugarcane PSN project in Merauke. The letter remains unanswered.
Meanwhile, Vincen asserted that selling his ancestral land would not bring long-term benefits. "On the contrary, people think the benefit is receiving an initial sum of money or goodwill payment," he said on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
On Tuesday afternoon, September 16, 2025, Vincen and four of his relatives went to the Agodai forest to drive out workers who were clearing the land to build access roads for the company. One of them did so by hitting one of the workers, which led to them being reported to the Jagebob police.
The next day, Vincen and his family returned to Agodai to erect customary barriers as a symbol of the territorial boundary. There were two warning signs on trees that read, "Entry into the Kwipalo indigenous area is prohibited."
Subsequently, on October 2, Vincen and several of his friends went to the Jagebob police station to provide clarification regarding the incident on September 16. Police are still investigating the case.
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