Abu Bakar Kogoya: A Post-Mortem of TPNPB–OPM Guerilla

Abu Bakar Kogoya: A Post-Mortem of TPNPB–OPM Guerilla

Executive Summary:

• Mobinus Abu Bakar Kogoya, a guerilla fighter with the West Papua National Liberation Army–Free Papua Movement (TPNPB–OPM), was killed in an operation by the Indonesian military in April. Abu’s death will likely impede TPNPB–OPM operations in the remote areas where he operated.
• The TPNPB–OPM responded to Abu’s death by killing a local policeman, and has threatened to target native Papuans believed to be working with the Indonesian government. Further reprisal attacks are likely.

The spokesperson of the West Papua National Liberation Army–Free Papua Movement (TPNPB–OPM), Sebby Sambo (Sebby) declared that he was outraged to learn of the death of Major Mobinus Abu Bakar Kogoya (Abu) in April (mcwnews.com, April 5; tempo.co, April 8). Sebby retaliated by claiming that the TPNPB–OPM would launch multiple assaults in three territories: KODAP (TPNPB–OPM territorial command) VIII Intan Jaya, Tembagapura District, and KODAP XVIII Ilaga. He likewise declared that the group would also target native Papuans believed to be Indonesian spies (seputarpapua.com, April 15).

Abu had previously been shot during an exchange that occurred during the first attack of his career as an insurgent, which had been conducted against two Indonesian police officers on October 21, 2017. Since then, Abu had been listed as a fugitive, until his death in Indonesia’s joint police and army Operation “Cartenz Peace” in April. Abu was extracting sand to mine gold at Mile Point 69 in Tembagapura District, Mimika Region. Sebby claimed that Abu was killed in order to safeguard the interests of the U.S. Freeport gold mining corporation active in the area, with the insurgent having been present in order to ensure the safety of local gold miners (Indonesian National Police, April 9; seputarpapua.com, April 15).

Life of Abu

Abu was a Lani tribal member from the village of Utikini in Tembagapura District, Mimika Region. He was 28-years-old when he died (detik.com, April 6). He was stationed in Kemabu, Ugimba District under the late TPNPB–OPM commanders Ayub Waker and Sabinus Waker.

Before his death, Abu was a rising star in the TPNPB–OPM. He had followed in the footsteps of Egianus Kogoya, the internationally recognized TPNPB–OPM who has held New Zealander pilot Philipp Mehrtens hostage since February 2023, refusing to release him until West Papua gains independence (seputarpapua.com, April 13; see Militant Leadership Monitor, June 2, 2023; Terrorism Monitor, February 21). Abu gained notoriety with his aforementioned October 2017 attack. Although both police officers survived their injuries, Abu was able to pilfer two Steyr AUG firearms.

On November 14, 2017, at the same location, Abu launched his second attack, where he shot at a van, injuring one of the passengers (Indonesian National Police, April 9). Abu was immediately added to Indonesia’s most wanted list, but was permitted to join TPNPB–OPM’s operations in the territory led by Major General Lekagak Telenggen, who is in charge of the group’s operations in the Puncak, Mimika, and Intan Jaya regions. Abu had been moving between the three locations ever since 2017 in an attempt to elude identification and apprehension (KOMPAS.com, April 6). Presumably, Abu’s decision to avoid conducting any attacks until March 2020 was intended to prevent his detection (detik.com, April 6).

Abu’s Appearance in 2020

Abu resurfaced in March 2020 when he attacked the Freeport corporation office in the Kuala Kencana District, Mimika Region. These attacks claimed the lives of one New Zealander resident and injured two Indonesians (Indonesian National Police, April 9). In April 2021, Abu and other TNPPB–OPM militants shot and burned down a helicopter belonging to a private company stationed at Aminggaru Ilaga Airport in Puncak District, Central Papua Region (GridHotID.id, April 9, 2023). These attacks elevated Abu and established him as a key militant in the region, he ascended in status and established himself as a key militant in General Telenggen’s territory.

Consequently, Abu’s death caused concern among TPNPB–OPM members that they might become the next target of Operation Cartenz Peace. Sebby speculated that a traitor had leaked Abu’s whereabouts, leading to his death (seputarpapua.com, April 15). Nevertheless, Operation Cartenz Peace might have failed to identify Abu if his photo hadn’t surfaced on social media. Once this occurred, Jeffrey Bomanak, TPNPB–OPM chairman in Australia, immediately issued an order prohibiting the organization from sharing the photo or identity of anyone in the militant group on social media unless they were preparing for a suicide mission (DISWAY.ID, April 5).

In retaliation for Abu’s death, the TPNPB–OPM assassinated Second Lieutenant Oktovianus Sogalrey, the Indonesian military commander of the 1703-04 Aradide sub-district. This was overseen by TPNPB–OPM Brigadier General Mathius Gobay of KODAP XIII Kegeya Nipouya Paniai and carried out by Major Osea Satu Boma at Trans Road Paniai–Intan Jaya in the late afternoon of April 10. The TPNPB–OPM justified the killing of Sogalrey by accusing him of attempting to enlist the group’s members in the Indonesian police and military (VIVA.co.id, April 13). Sogalrey was unarmed and on a motorcycle without backup. His assassination was recorded and subsequently posted on social media (BBC Indonesia, December 20, 2023).

Conclusion

Abu’s death will impede TPNPB–OPM operations, likely reducing the number of attacks it launches in the remote areas he operated in. The Indonesian Army accused Abu of having targeted civilians, including construction workers, medical personnel, and educators, which they argue are now safer (Indonesian Army Information Service, March 31). Nonetheless, the TPNPB–OPM will almost certainly launch reprisal attacks in order to dispel any notion that they have been weakened.