Free West Papua Movement (OPM) Rebels Grup Uses Child Soldiers to Fight the Indonesian military
Channel: Sansan Sansan
Date: 2021-02-19

On this video seen 3 West Papuans child soldiers marching with other West Papuan militias, 2 of them marching at the very front. This video was taken somewhere in Nduga between 2019 or 2020 when the Indonesian military carried out a major crackdown on the Rebels Group West Papua Liberation Army Led by Egainus Kogoya since December 2018 after massacring more than 40 Workers who are civilians from Istaka Karya, an Indonesian construction company were constructing a bridge over the Yigi river (Indonesian: Kali Yigi) in Yigi district, Nduga Regency. They took work leave at 1 December, as the day has usually been considered unsafe to work, due to activities of Papuan separatists celebrating the declaration of Papuan independence of Free Papua Movement on that day. One of the workers allegedly took photos of one such celebration in nearby field, which angered the armed group and triggered the massacare which killed more than 40 people. Before this video was shared by the Rebels . International media also highlight a photo shared by them showing a group of "pro-independence" rebels in the highlands located in Nduga and, among them, three of whom are clearly children; their faces were covered in camouflage paint, wearing military suits and Assault Rifles in their hands. the use of child militias in the conflict in Papua by separatists themselves violates the International Law Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2000, the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (OPAC) raised the 1977 standard by prohibiting the use of anyone under 18 years in conflict. The OPAC states that individuals under the age of 16 cannot be registered for war and individuals between the ages of 16 and 18 cannot be forced to join the armed forces. Under the OPAC, children must be fully informed of their duties and they must not be associated with combat until they reach 18 years of age. For non-state actors who are signatories, there are no exceptions for those between the ages of 16 and 18. They cannot recruit or use anyone under 18 years of age. In 2016, 70 percent of state actors and 60 percent of non-state actors (with armed forces) signed contracts with OPAC. More than 30 percent of globally recognized countries refuse to sign the OPAC to help protect children from being exploited into the army.

Indonesia itself has indeed ratified the United Nations Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict in 2012, but it seems that the Indonesian government has not taken definite steps to carry out an investigation regarding the use of child soldiers by separatist groups in the conflict in West Papua.


In West Papua, rebels use child soldiers against Indonesia :
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/2018700790/in-west-papua-rebels-use-child-soldiers-against-indonesia

Underage fighters drawn into Indonesian separatist conflict
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/underage-fighters-drawn-indonesian-conflict-63889591