Remembering the Biak Massacre

Today, July 6, we remember one of the most violent atrocities committed by the Indonesian government on the people of West Papua. Between July 2 and July 6, 1998, hundreds of West Papuans gathered peacefully around the Biak water tower after raising the Morning Star flag when Indonesian security forces moved in to disperse the gathering with force.

Survivors and witnesses have testified that civilians were shot, detained, tortured, and subjected to sexual violence. In the days that followed, bodies were reported washing ashore around Biak, while many families continued searching for missing relatives. Human rights organizations and independent investigations estimate that between 40 and more than 150 people were murdered.

More than two decades later, justice for the victims of the Biak Massacre remains elusive. No one has been held accountable, and the events continue to be denied or minimized by Indonesian authorities.

The atrocities that occurred in Biak also continue in the present. West Papuans who assert their independence, or speak out against militarization have continued to report arrests, intimidation, surveillance, and other forms of harassment. As we remember the victims of the Biak Massacre, we also remember the many West Papuans who continue to face violence and repression in their pursuit of self-determination.