TPNPB-OPM Casts Doubt on VP Gibran's Papua Undertaking

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) has cast doubts on Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's ability to resolve issues in the Papuan region.

TPNPB-OPM spokesperson Sebby Sambom said the group has no business with Gibran's assignment in Papua, but he's dubious about whether the son of former President Joko Widodo could solve the issues in Papua.

"What are Gibran's qualifications to oversee problems in Papua? He's incapable, it's impossible (for him)," Sebby told Tempo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

"That inexperienced kid can not possibly solve the problems in Papua," he added.

President Prabowo, according to Sebby, should not have assigned Gibran if he wants to solve the Papuan issues but instead establish a team under his cabinet to negotiate with the groups in Papua.

Coordinating Minister of Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra previously mentioned that Gibran Rakabuming had been tasked to tackle the issues in Papua by Prabowo.

"There is even a possibility of the vice president having an office to work from Papua to handle this issue," Yusril said, as quoted in the 2024 Annual Report of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), broadcast on YouTube on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

He added that the plan has already been discussed. Yusril said resolving the Papua issue is the first special assignment Prabowo has given to Gibran.

"Later, the assignment could be in the form of a presidential regulation or a presidential decision," he added.

Gibran’s responsibilities will include accelerating development in Papua and addressing human rights concerns. Yusril noted that Gibran will monitor how authorities are managing these issues. "And how the authorities handle issues in Papua," he said.

He emphasized that this assignment reflects the government's commitment to Papua.

"The government's concern in handling Papua has been under discussion for the past few days to give a special assignment from the President to the Vice President for accelerating the development in Papua," he said.

Yusril later clarified his statement, saying that the vice president's office in Papua will be given to the secretariat and personnel of the special body chaired by the vice president.

"The vice president is not moving his office to Papua," Yusril said in a written statement in Jakarta on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

Yusril revealed that the Special Body for the Acceleration of Special Autonomy (Otsus) for Papua is formed based on Article 68 A of Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 21 of 2001. This body is tasked with synchronizing, harmonizing, evaluating, and coordinating the implementation of special autonomy for Papua.

This body was formed by Joko Widodo through Presidential Regulation Number 121 of 2022 and is chaired by a vice president. Its members consist of the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, the Minister of Finance, and one representative from each province in Papua.

"The secretariat office of this body is located in Jayapura, Papua. This is the coordination and administrative center to ensure more effective communication between the central and regional governments," said Yusril.

Hendrik Yaputra and Dani Aswara contributed to the writing of this article.

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