Operation Gagak

The Operation Gagak (lit. 'Crow'; Indonesian: Operasi Gagak) was a clearance operations in Papua. The operation divided into two operations, Operation Gagak I (1985-1986) and Operation Gagak II (1986-1987). The objective of this operations was to crackdown the OPM movements around the Indonesia–Papua New Guinea border and splitted the OPM interventions from the civilians. The operation resulted in the reduce of rebels movement on the border between Papua New Guinea and many of the OPM loyalist were executed by Indonesian forces.

In the early 1980 Kopkamtib published some journal about OPM power after their weakned in the operations in Jayapura. However Laksusda Irian Jaya seeing the guerilla movement of OPM forces was remained active after 1977-1978 on the Indonesia–Papua New Guinea border from march and june 1984, forces from Kopassus conducting infiltration around border area. The action of Kopassus forces are doing some arrest of the suspected OPM forces, Robin Osborne noted in his book the Indonesian forces movement as an feared for civilians who lived around the borders by the bad treatment of Indonesian forces resulting into the hundreds of civilians in illegally immigrated to Papua New Guinea. Muyu tribe in Mindiptna, Woropko, and Merauke was flee into Papua New Guinea, the self-displacement of Muyu tribes exacerbated by the arrival of ABRI troops to captured the OPM companies after the Kanggewot Incident. This movement also followed by civilians in Jayapura, Sorong, Mimika, Manokwari, Wamena, and Fakfak.^[1]

The movement of refugees to Papua New Guinea, in addition to being based on the factor of military operations around the Indonesia–Papua New Guinea border, it is also caused by related factors and problems namely the OPM activities on the borders, the emergence of civilians' disappointment due to the construction jam, the number intelligence operations, and the entry of transmigration flows around the area. Transmigration in which also included the family of ABRI family officers, the ABRI retired officer also seized the civilians' land. The transmigration area such as Arso, Koya, or several towns around Merauke Regency. It is also used as a buffer for OPM, in which the Indonesian forces conducted a patrol and sweeping operation around the regions.^[2]

Refugees action to Papua New Guinea triggered by the mass arrest of civilians in Jayapura, and after the refugees action to Papua New Guinea the resistance of OPM already weakned. And the military operation became massive in 1984, however the violence in the operations was unknown to the outside media, Supported by the policy of ABRI which made yonif as the core force of battle with the additional troops from Jakarta, Ambon, Makassar. With the merger of this yonif, it will resulted in a yonif unit focused on Merauke under control of Korem.^[3][4][5]

The first operation gagak was launched in 1985 led by Maj.gen H. Simanjuntak, in this operations the operations Indonesian forces spit into the sector A on the border, B on the middle of area, C coordinating the attack. Military Resort Command was an operation sector command, and district command became an subsector accompanied by military district commander. Pressure point in the operation was the territorial operrations supported by intelligence and combat operations of Kopkamtib, the target of sector A during the operation was Merauke and Waroko, sector B targeting area such as Enarotali, Kebo, and Ilaga, sector C targeting Tembagapura, agimuga, and Timika. The main objective of this operations was captured or ambushed Daniel Kogoya, Tadius Yogi, and Simon Kogoya. During the Operation Gagak I Military Area Command noted 14 OPM killed, 8 captured, and seized 2 weapons.^[6][7][8]

After replacing Maj.gen H.Simanjuntak as the commander of Kodam XVII/Cenderawasih, Maj.gen Setiana launched the second operation of Operation Gagak with the main objective to splits up the OPM and civilians and to detected of the civilians loyalty for the government, intelligence operations to raise the public and civilians loyalty to government and combat operations by conducting patrols around the Indonesia–Papua New Guinea border by dividing into the three sectors. The Operation Gagak II involved the full of Kodam XVII/Cenderawasih with the help of Kostrad yon. During the operations ABRI noted 21 OPM killed, 5 captured, 12 surrendered, and captured 13 weapons.^[9][10]

• Amiruddin, Al Rahab (2017-10-07). "Operasi-Operasi Militer Di Papua:Pagar Makan Tanaman?". Kemdikbud.
• Budiono (1991). Buku sejarah Kodam VIII/ Trikora Periode 1982-1990. Kepala Staf Tentara Nasional Indonesia.
• Robin, Osborne (2001). Kibaran Sampari: gerakan pembebasan OPM, dan perang rahasia di Papua Barat. Lembaga Studi dan Advokasi Masyarakat. ISBN 9789798981227.
• George, Junus Aditjondro (2000). Cahaya Bintang Kejora: Papua Barat dalam kajian sejarah, budaya, ekonomi, dan hak asasi manusia. Lembaga Studi dan Advokasi Masyarakat.