On August 4, 2025, a carefully calculated gesture by President Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to unity—not through force, but through wisdom. Six Papuan men convicted of raising the separatist Morning Star flag in 2022 were released from prison under a presidential amnesty. The decision, while stirring various public reactions, reflects a deliberate act of statecraft: one that upholds national law and sovereignty while offering a pathway toward social reconciliation.
The act of amnesty—enshrined in the Indonesian Constitution and implemented through Presidential Decree No. 17/2025—did not undermine the state’s position on separatism. Rather, it underscored Indonesia’s resolve: national unity is defended not only through law enforcement but also through magnanimity, guided by the rule of law.
The Incident and the Legal Basis
Six individuals—Josephien Tanasale, Viktor Makamuke Bin Paulus, Alex Bless, Yance Kambuaya, Adolof Nauw, and Hilkia Isir—were arrested in 2022 after publicly raising the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag, a banned symbol often associated with separatist aspirations in Papua. Their act violated Indonesia’s criminal code, particularly Article 106 of the KUHP (Penal Code), which prohibits attempts to separate part of the nation’s territory and categorizes such acts as treason.
While the demonstration was non-violent, the symbolic nature of the act carried heavy constitutional implications. In the eyes of Indonesian law, such gestures are not expressions of free speech but direct challenges to the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia. The court subsequently sentenced six persons to two to five years in prison.
These were not arbitrary punishments. They were delivered under clear legal statutes—laws designed to protect Indonesia’s territorial integrity, forged in the aftermath of hard-won independence, and maintained through decades of national development.
However, the case of the Papuan flag-raisers stood out. Their release touched a nerve in the national psyche—not just because of their original crime, but because of what it symbolized in the broader context of Indonesia’s complex relationship with its easternmost region. Papua, a former Dutch colony, was united with Indonesian sovereignty after the Free Act Choice and UN resolution 2504 in 1969. Meanwhile, a small part of the Papuan people rejected the unification and chose to carry out political and armed resistance against the Indonesian government.
Amnesty Within a Legal Framework
The release of the six prisoners was made possible under Law No. 2 of 2018, which grants the president the authority to provide amnesty and abolition with the approval of the House of Representatives (DPR). The legal process was rigorous. The decision was not a pardon born of sentiment but a measured state policy rooted in Indonesia’s legal tradition.
It is critical to note that amnesty does not negate the wrongdoing; it acknowledges that the rule of law has been applied—and that the state, with full sovereignty, may choose clemency in select cases to advance national unity. In this context, the release of the six Papuan prisoners affirms the strength of the legal system, not its weakness.
According to officials at the Makassar Class I Penitentiary, the six prisoners demonstrated good conduct, cooperation, and remorse during incarceration. Their rehabilitation and the absence of violent or militant behavior helped determine their eligibility for release under the government’s broader campaign of restorative justice.
Strength in Reconciliation
In recent years, the Indonesian government has emphasized that unity must be preserved not only through security policies but also through reconciliation and inclusion. This is particularly vital in Papua, where decades of development challenges, misinformation, and exploitation by separatist propaganda have strained the relationship between some local communities and the central government.
President Prabowo’s leadership reflects a nuanced understanding of this dynamic. His administration has pursued a dual approach: defending the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) through law enforcement, while simultaneously extending a hand to individuals willing to return to the fold of the republic peacefully.
This amnesty is part of a larger national initiative to decongest overcrowded prisons, reduce the criminalization of non-violent offenders, and promote reconciliation in restive areas. In December 2024, Prabowo’s government announced a target of releasing over 44,000 inmates, including political prisoners and minor offenders, under a broad campaign to reform the penal system.
However, the line remains clear: Indonesia does not negotiate with armed separatist groups, nor does it legitimize illegal symbols that seek to divide the republic. The amnesty granted to the six Papuan prisoners is therefore not a softening of the national stance but a display of state maturity—a sign that a powerful nation can choose clemency without compromising its legal boundaries.
Defending the Law While Embracing Humanity
The legal foundation of the Indonesian state rests on the 1945 Constitution, which recognizes national unity as sacrosanct. Any act aimed at dismembering the nation’s territory—be it through armed insurrection or symbolic gestures that support separatist agendas—is rightfully classified under treason. Such laws are not unique to Indonesia. Countries across the world criminalize acts that undermine territorial sovereignty.
Yet in applying these laws, Indonesia has consistently shown that it values humanity. The release of these six individuals does not erase their crimes, nor does it endorse their cause. It offers a second chance—an opportunity for reintegration and reflection.
Critics who label the amnesty a “soft approach to separatism” fail to grasp the broader strategy: resilience through justice and unity through compassion. The state did not yield to pressure, nor did it trade justice for peace. It enforced the law, allowed rehabilitation, and then extended mercy—without ever compromising on the principle that Papua is, and will always be, part of Indonesia.
A Message to the World
Indonesia’s actions also send a strong message to the international community. The country, often unfairly scrutinized over its handling of Papua, continues to uphold democratic principles, including the presumption of innocence, the right to legal representation, and the path to clemency through lawful processes.
While separatist propaganda often portrays the government as repressive, the reality is more complex. The freedom of the six men—granted lawfully and publicly—demonstrates that Indonesia is not afraid to confront dissent, punish unlawful acts, and then offer reintegration when individuals show willingness to rejoin society peacefully.
This is not weakness. It is statecraft.
Maintaining Unity in the Digital Age
With the increasing spread of disinformation and separatist narratives online, the Indonesian government faces new challenges. The misuse of symbols like the Morning Star flag has become a tool of digital provocation, aimed at garnering foreign sympathy and misrepresenting the situation on the ground.
However, through strategic actions like this amnesty, the government shows that it can rise above provocation. By offering legal clemency without abandoning the integrity of national law, Indonesia affirms that its unity is rooted not only in military strength but also in legal confidence and cultural maturity.
Conclusion
The amnesty granted by President Prabowo to the six Papuan flag-raisers marks a significant moment in Indonesia’s journey toward becoming a more unified, peaceful, and lawful state. It demonstrates that the rule of law prevails—but also that mercy is a tool of the strong, not the weak.
Indonesia remains firm: its territorial integrity is non-negotiable. Papua is an inseparable part of the republic. But within that firm stance lies room for forgiveness—for those who renounce unlawful acts and choose the path of peace.
In the end, justice and unity are not mutually exclusive. They are, in fact, complementary pillars of a democratic nation—one that can uphold its laws while embracing its people, even those who once stood in opposition.