Mapping violence in West Papua

Sites of killings in Papua and West Papua, 1970s to 2010s.

The numbers associated with the sites indicate the estimated number of deaths. Not all sites have been labelled with the number of deaths, but more information about the sites can be viewed by clicking on the site (ie. coloured dot).

Operasi Kikis: From 1977-1978, an extensive military operation codenamed Operasi Kikis (Operation ‘Chipping Away’) was launched in the Central Highlands of West Papua. There is no official (Indonesian) death toll. The former governor of Papua, Eliezer Bonay, estimated the number of deaths to be 3,000. Survivors counted 4,146 people to have been killed by strafing with an AK47 rifle and napalm bombs, anti-personnel cluster bombs, and mortar bombs. Others were shot on land.

Click here to see a larger version of the interactive map (external link)
Map: The Conversation Source: Brundidge, E., King, W., Priyneha V., Vladeck, S. and X. Yuan: Indonesian Human Rights Abuses in West Papua: Application of the Law of Genocide to the History of Indonesian Control, 2004; ELSHAM: Names Without Graves, Graves Without Names, 2013; Osborne, Robin: Indonesia’s Secret War, Allen and Unwin; International Coalition for Papua (ICP): Human Rights Update October 2019 West Papua, 2019; Asian Human Rights Commission: The Neglected Genocide: Human Rights Abuses Against Papuans in the Central Highlands, 1977-1978; Davis, Mark: Blood on the Cross, Four Corners 1999; Budiardjo, C. and Liem so Liong: West Papua: The Obliteration of a People, TAPOL: 1983