Following the burning of public facilities in the Kiwirok District on 13 September 2021, about 1,000 indigenous Papuans in the Pegunungan Bintang Regency have fled their homes. They fear becoming victims of state violence during security operations, which Indonesian military and police forces have launched against the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in Pegunungan Bintang.
According to the regent of Pegunungan Bintang, Mr Spei Yan Bidana, about 400 internally displaced persons (IDPs) reportedly fled to the Oklib District, about 100 IDPs have sought shelter in the districts Oksibil and Oksebang, while several hundreds of IDPs hide in the forest, where they are exposed to the harsh climate in the highlands without access to food, healthcare and education facilities. The majority of the IDPs originate from Kiriwok. A smaller number of IDPs fled come from the Okhika District. Mr Bidana added that local government agencies have started collecting data on the IDPs and have distributed humanitarian aid to some of them.
