Nabire – Central Papua Police Chief Brigadier General Jermias Rontini has opened up the possibility of forming an independent investigation team to investigate the conflict in Dogiyai Regency, Central Papua, which has been ongoing since March 31, 2026.
“I agree with the formation of an independent team, because there needs to be another party who can assess what happened in Dogiyai,” Rontin said in Nabire on Friday.
He said the involvement of an independent party will strengthen transparency and objectivity in the evaluation and handling of the case, while also providing input for the police institution.
The former Mimika Police Chief is committed to revealing the incident openly, including conducting an internal evaluation of the Dogiyai Police to determine if any members acted outside of procedure.
He has also met with several community leaders and intellectuals from Dogiyai to gather information and build communication to create a conducive situation.
Furthermore, his office continues to coordinate with the Central Papua Provincial Government to formulate steps to resolve the conflict and identify the perpetrators involved.
The Regional Police Chief apologized to the public if any actions by officers in handling the conflict resulted in casualties.
“I apologize if any officers’ actions have harmed the community,” said Rontini.
Meanwhile, Andrias Gobai, Coordinator of the Dogiyai Community Coalition, emphasized the importance of a thorough investigation into the series of conflicts that have occurred since the end of March.
According to Andrias, the conflict has resulted in casualties among both civilians and officers, necessitating the presence of an independent, neutral team.
“We demand that the perpetrators of the murders be revealed and the entire conflict thoroughly investigated because we have information that six civilians have died,” he said.
Sim Petrus Pekei, a Dogiyai youth representative, echoed this sentiment, urging the involvement of independent institutions such as the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), along with traditional and church leaders.
He said these steps are crucial to ensure the investigation process is objective and does not corner any party without evidence.
Elias Anou, a member of the Central Papua Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRP), hopes the new Regional Police Chief will be able to end the ongoing conflict in Dogiyai.
He believes a transparent and thorough investigation is key to ensuring legal certainty and restoring a sense of security within the community.
“I hope the series of conflicts that have been occurring in Dogiyai for decades can be stopped under the leadership of Police Chief Brigadier General Jermias Rontini,” he said.
The series of conflicts in Dogiyai began when a Dogiyai Police officer with the initials JE (24) was found dead in Kimupugi Village, Kamuu District, on Tuesday (March 31) at around 10:40 a.m. WIT.
The victim died with wounds from sharp objects, including to the neck, back of the head, and right fingers.
This incident triggered an escalating conflict, resulting in several fatalities from Wednesday (April 1) to Thursday (April 2).
