{{Short description|1998 massacre in Indonesia}} {{Infobox civilian attack | title = Biak massacre | partof = the Papua conflict | image = | alt = | caption = | map = Lokasi Papua Kabupaten Biak Numfor.svg | map_caption = Island of Biak is located near Cendrawasih Bay, and is part of Biak Numfor Regency (red). | location = Biak, Indonesia | target = Pro-independence civilians, members of the Free Papua Movement | coordinates = {{coord|1.00|S|136.00|E|source:kolossus-dewiki|display=inline, title}} | date = 2–6 July 1998 | time = | timezone = UTC+9 | type = Massacre | fatalities = 40–150 | injuries = | perps = Indonesian Armed Forces, Indonesian National Police | motive = Indonesian nationalism, Anti-Christian sentiment | weapons = | numparts = }}
{{Campaignbox Papua conflict}} The '''Biak massacre''' was the killing of West Papuan pro-independence demonstrators on the island of Biak, Papua, Indonesia, in 1998.
On the morning of 2 July 1998, unarmed villagers, including Nobel Peace prize nominee and political prisoner Filep Karma raised the West Papuan Morning Star flag at a water tower. In the afternoon, Indonesia police and military fired tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowd but was unsuccessful. This resulted in a stand-off that lasted several days until the morning of 6 July where the Indonesian security forces surrounded and fired upon the crowd.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bevege |first=Alison |date=December 16, 2013 |title=Biak Massacre Citizen's Tribunal at Sydney University finds security forces intentionally killed, raped children |url=https://www.news.com.au/world/biak-massacre-citizens-tribunal-at-sydney-university-finds-security-forces-intentionally-killed-raped-children/news-story/7d8f96adf4550c713f4443e29e3ed598}}</ref>
According to Elsham Papua, a local human rights organization, 8 people were killed and a further 32 bodies were found near Biak in the following days.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Apinino |first1=Rio |title=Biak Berdarah 6 Juli 1998: Jalan Damai Berbuntut Kematian |url=https://tirto.id/biak-berdarah-6-juli-1998-jalan-damai-berbuntut-kematian-fPbV?page=all#secondpage |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=tirto.id |date=7 July 2020 |language=id}}</ref> The Free Papua Movement claimed that around 150 people were killed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Remembering the Biak Massacre|url=https://www.freewestpapua.org/2018/07/11/remembering-the-biak-massacre/|website=freewestpapua.org |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref>
To this day, no one has been charged with the killings and the massacre is not officially recognized. No government or international enquiry has reported on it.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knaus |first=Christopher |date=2021-09-18 |title=‘Killed like animals’: documents reveal how Australia turned a blind eye to a West Papuan massacre |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/19/killed-like-animals-documents-reveal-how-australia-turned-a-blind-eye-to-a-west-papuan-massacre |access-date=2024-07-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
== "Biak Massacre Citizens Tribunal" == In 2013, "The Biak Massacre Citizens Tribunal" was held at the University of Sydney, before jurists Keith Suter and John Dowd, with Nicholas Cowdery the former NSW Director of Public Prosecutions acting as counsel assisting.
In his concluding statement, Nicholas Cowdery said, "This was not, on the morning of the 6th of July, some sort of spontaneous violence, it came after days of careful contemplation by the authorities about what was happening and how it might be approached".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Concluding statement: Prof. Nicholas Cowdery {{!}} Biak Massacre Citizens Tribunal |url=https://www.biak-tribunal.org/concluding-statement-prof-nicholas-cowdery/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Recent events == In 2021, ''The Guardian'' reported that Dan Weadon, an Australian military attaché and intelligence officer was present in Biak five days after the massacre, and had photographed 50 bullet holes on Biak water tower. Weadon was also given film taken by locals documenting the massacre. This evidence was apparently destroyed by the Australian Department of Defence in 2014.{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}}
Mark Davis, a lawyer involved in a request for said evidence described the destruction of the photos, which could be evidence of crimes against humanity, as disturbing and sickening. “The photos were not created by Australian intelligence, they were entrusted to them by the families of the injured and the dead who trusted that Australia would act upon those photos or at least safeguard the evidence”, he said.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Knaus |first=Christopher |date=2021-09-18 |title=‘Killed like animals’: documents reveal how Australia turned a blind eye to a West Papuan massacre |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/19/killed-like-animals-documents-reveal-how-australia-turned-a-blind-eye-to-a-west-papuan-massacre |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
In 2023, the Australian Greens used Indonesian President Joko Widodo's visit to Australia to bring attention to the Biak massacre with Senator Jordan Steele-John stating, "The government and ADF decision-makers must be held accountable for concealing the truth about the Biak massacre".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-05 |title=Labor must come clean about the Biak Massacre 25 years on during President Widodo’s visit |url=https://greens.org.au/news/media-release/labor-must-come-clean-about-biak-massacre-25-years-during-president-widodos |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=Australian Greens |language=en}}</ref>
In 2024, the anniversary of the Biak massacre saw the raising of the Morning Star flag by West Papua supporters at the Indonesian Consulate in Sydney.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bevege |first=Alison |date=2024-07-06 |title=Biak Massacre day: 26 years and no justice for West Papua |url=https://lettersfromaustralia.substack.com/p/biak-massacre-day-26-years-and-no |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=Letters from Australia}}</ref>
==See also== * List of massacres in Indonesia
==Notes== {{reflist}}
==References== * {{cite web |last1=Cordell |first1=Marni |title=West Papuans tortured, killed and dumped at sea, citizens' tribunal hears |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/13/west-papuans-tortured-killed-and-dumped-at-sea-tribunal-hears |website=The Guardian |access-date=5 January 2023}} * {{cite web |title=The Biak Massacre |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/perspective/the-biak-massacre/3197192 |website=Radio National |publisher=ABC |access-date=5 January 2023}}
==External links and further reading== * {{cite web |title=Indonesia: Human Rights and Pro-Independence Actions in Irian Jaya- Introduction |url=https://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports98/biak/biak.htm |website=www.hrw.org |publisher=Human Rights Watch |access-date=5 January 2023 |archive-date=5 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230105085611/https://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports98/biak/biak.htm |url-status=dead }} * Tim Advokasi Hak Azasi Manusia untuk Rakyat Irian Jaya, "Laporan Pelanggaran HAM di Biak" (undated report) * {{cite news |last1=Knauss |first1=Christopher |title=‘Killed like animals’: documents reveal how Australia turned a blind eye to a West Papuan massacre |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/19/killed-like-animals-documents-reveal-how-australia-turned-a-blind-eye-to-a-west-papuan-massacre |access-date=5 January 2023 |work=The Guardian (Australian Edition) |publisher=The Guardian |date=19 September 2021}}
Category:Massacres in Indonesia Category:Indonesian war crimes in the Papua conflict Category:History of Papua (province) Category:1998 crimes in Indonesia Category:Massacres in 1998 Category:July 1998 in Asia Category:Massacres committed by Indonesia Category:20th-century mass murders in Indonesia Category:20th century in Western New Guinea