In the midst of the turbulent Papuan wilderness, it is not only bullets that are answered. Behind the fog of propaganda and the spray of “independence” jargon, an undeniable rift is now revealed in the body of the West Papua National Liberation Army – Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM). The figure who was once hailed as the “mountain commander”, Egianus Kogoya, is now in the spotlight and being demanded. Not by the TNI or Polri, but by his own organization.
Egianus Kogoya: Commander Without Command
Egianus’ action in attacking the TNI-Polri post in Kurima, Yahukimo which is administratively part of the Kodap 16 Yahukimo area without the blessing of the TPNPB-OPM Headquarters, became the spark. Not only a violation of the command area, but also a violation of the ethics of struggle according to the TPNPB-OPM itself.
“Egianus does not have the authority to carry out attacks outside Kodap 3 Ndugama,” said TPNPB-OPM spokesman, Sebby Sambom, in his official statement. He even added, “We will not recognize Egianus until he apologizes openly.”
A surprising confession: TPNPB-OPM has internal rules of the game, complete with a command structure, regional protocols, and even the threat of an internal military trial for disciplinary violations. Ironic, isn’t it? In the midst of an armed campaign that is often considered wild and lawless, it turns out that they have a militaristic blueprint that is no less complicated than the official state forces.
Susi Air Pilot Case: Stumbling Block or Internal Sabotage?
The problem does not stop at territorial violations. Previously, Egianus Kogoya was also criticized for unilaterally releasing the Susi Air pilot. The decision was not only considered embarrassing by Sebby Sambom’s faction, but was also considered a form of “defection”.
Sebby Sambom said that Egianus Kogoya’s actions were contrary to the organization’s commitment, and were a form of betrayal of the spirit of “armed struggle”. It was even said that Egianus Kogoya had been fired and was no longer recognized as a commander.
Then the question arises: if a “warlord” can be thrown out just because of an unpopular policy, how solid will this movement be in the future? Or does this prove that OPM is more busy fighting itself than facing external opponents?
The Unrecognized Civil War
If this internal conflict has been going on in silence for years, now everything is increasingly being exposed in public. News sites and security observers, or observers of Papua issues have noted how the younger generation of Papuans have begun to abandon the bloody struggle, and how TPNPB OPM is no longer brave in the eyes of the local community. Not only that, friction and factionalism make TPNPB OPM more like a confederation of armed militias without direction, rather than a neatly coordinated national liberation movement. Their strength is no longer determined by idealism, but by who has weapons and loyalist troops in certain villages.
Who Controls Who?
The big question now is: who is really in control? Is Sebby Sambom still influential, or has Egianus Kogoya become a kind of local warlord who carries out his own agenda?
The presence of Kodap-Kodap structures with territorial boundaries, regional commanders, and even “joint operations” seem to show that TPNPB OPM is more like an armed force conglomerate than a single organization. Without solid coordination, their struggle is more like a show of force between commanders that only adds to the chaos and casualties in the field.
Apologize or Resign
For Egianus Kogoya, whose actions have been widely highlighted, the path available is now increasingly narrow. He must choose: submit to Sebby Sambom’s command and apologize to the Papuan people (and “fellow fighters”), or continue to advance as a wild commander who has lost legitimacy and could become a target from within his own body. Meanwhile, for the Papuan and Indonesian public, this internal conflict provides an important lesson that the narrative of independence voiced by TPNPB-OPM is not one voice. It is fractured, it is in conflict, and now, it is bringing each other down.
As the old saying goes, if a house burns down from the inside, it doesn’t need an enemy outside to destroy it. In the case of TPNPB-OPM, perhaps Sebby Sambom and Egianus Kogoya have become each other’s enemies.
