For many Papuans the Second World War is a chapter in the history books. But in some parts of the region, its legacy is still emerging from the ground.
The latest reminder was on 24 June 2026, when residents found what is believed to be a World War II mortar bomb in the Daime Daime Complex, Doyo Baru Village, Waibu District, Jayapura Regency. Following the discovery, local authorities quickly secured the area, and the bomb disposal unit of the Indonesian National Police safely removed the munition.
No one was injured, but it highlighted a broader issue. More than eight decades after savage combat between Allied and Japanese forces made Papua one of the Pacific War’s most strategic battlegrounds, unexploded ordnance continues to pose a covert hazard for communities living and farming in former battle zones.
The finding also came after a series of similar cases in recent months, underscoring why Indonesian authorities have stepped up efforts to find, remove, and safely dispose of wartime explosives across Papua.
Another Wartime Relic Emerges in Jayapura
Residents Quickly Report the Discovery
Local residents carrying out activities around the Daime Daime area in Doyo Baru found the object, police said.
Following reports from the public, Gegana Brimob Papua officers, together with the bomb disposal team, immediately responded. Security personnel established a safety perimeter and carefully examined the object.
Officers then took it to a secure location for disposal under the procedures for the disposal of explosive ordnance after confirming it was an old mortar bomb believed to be from World War II.
Authorities also reminded residents not to touch, move, or dismantle suspicious objects resembling ammunition, regardless of their age.
Part of a Growing Pattern
This new finding was not an isolated case.
Earlier, on 6 June 2026, another suspected World War II mortar round was found near Warung Complex in front of Doyo Grand Housing, also in Waibu District in Jayapura Regency.
Police believe the ammunition was uncovered after heavy rain and flooding moved layers of soil surrounding former military positions from the Pacific War.
The weekly discoveries in the same district suggest that residential areas, farmland, and forests may still conceal more unexploded wartime ammunition.
The Biak Tragedy Changed Public Awareness
Six Civilians Lost Their Lives
A deadly accident in Biak Numfor Regency heightened public concern over unexploded wartime ammunition.
On 31 March 2026, a powerful explosion occurred at the Fisheries Housing Complex, Fandoi Village, Biak Kota District. Investigators later determined that a World War II mortar bomb caused the blast, which killed six civilians.
The victims were allegedly handling old military ammunition, not realizing it could still be dangerous after decades underground.
The tragedy sent shock waves through communities across Papua and sparked widespread searches in the area.
More Explosives Were Found
Bomb disposal teams found three live hand grenades at or near the same location during operations on 2 and 3 April 2026, just a few days after the blast.
The findings confirmed the deadly blast was not an isolated incident but part of a wider concentration of wartime explosives left behind following intense military operations more than eight decades ago.
Indonesian security authorities have intensified inspections in several districts known to have been major battlegrounds during World War II following those discoveries.
Why Papua Still Contains Wartime Explosives
A Strategic Battlefield in the Pacific War
Papua has a special place in the history of World War II.
The Pacific campaign, which took place between 1942 and 1945, saw the establishment of several areas as strategic military bases. Biak, Hollandia (now Jayapura), and surrounding islands were among these areas.
Japanese forces had constructed defensive positions throughout the area in advance of major Allied offensives to take control.
Heavy fighting involved artillery, naval bombardments, air raids, heavy use of mortars, grenades, aerial bombs, and ammunition.
After the war ended, much of the battlefield was cleared, but not all explosive devices were recovered.
Many were buried under layers of soil, forests, riverbanks, and settlements that later grew into modern communities.
Today, forgotten relics are sometimes exposed by urban expansion, agriculture, building, erosion, and flooding.
Security Forces Intensify Disposal Operations
Professional Bomb Disposal Procedures
Each discovery is made under strict operational protocols.
First, the police isolate the location, then bomb disposal experts inspect the object using standard explosive ordnance procedures.
The explosive is either safely transported or destroyed in a controlled detonation, depending on its condition.
The operations are designed to minimize risks to officers and nearby residents.
“Even ammo that is over eighty years old can be very unstable, according to authorities.
Corrosion doesn’t always make explosives harmless.
Aging components, instead, can make them even more unpredictable.
Public Cooperation Becomes Essential
Police have repeatedly urged communities across Papua to report suspicious military objects immediately.
Old ammunition should not be cleaned, dismantled, transported, or sold, because what appears to be inert explosives may still contain live detonators.
The public awareness campaigns have become even more important, especially in districts with historical connections to the World War II battlefields.
Officials also urge village leaders to coordinate with security forces when excavation projects unearth military relics.
Balancing Historical Heritage and Public Safety
Papua’s wartime history draws historians, archaeologists, and visitors interested in the Pacific campaign.
Historical resources, including old bunkers, aircraft wrecks, tunnels, and military infrastructure, remain important as they document one of the largest military operations in the Asia Pacific region.
Experts warn that pairing historical preservation with professional risk management is essential.
Trained bomb disposal personnel must address unexploded ordnance, even as museums and heritage sites preserve historical memory.
The challenge is thus to simultaneously protect public safety and historical heritage.
A Continuing Responsibility
The discoveries in Jayapura in June 2026, coupled with the tragic explosion in Biak three months prior, demonstrate that World War II continues to have a significant impact on certain areas of Papua.
Indonesia’s security agencies have responded by strengthening disposal operations, improving coordination with local governments and encouraging greater public awareness about unexploded wartime ammunition.
Complete clearance of former battlefields is a long-term undertaking, but each successful evacuation reduces potential risks for nearby communities.
We must preserve the memories of history while protecting today’s generation in Papua. Further cooperation among residents, local authorities, historians, and security agencies will continue to be vital to ensuring that relics of a war fought more than eighty years ago no longer endanger lives in the present.
Conclusion
Every new mortar or grenade discovered is more than a relic of history. It is a reminder of the real threats that the Pacific War still poses to communities across Papua today. As Indonesia steps up bomb disposal operations, improves public awareness, and cooperates with local authorities, the goal is not just to clear unexploded ordnance. “It’s about ensuring that former battlefields are safe for future generations while at the same time preserving Papua’s history in a responsible way. With vigilance and community involvement, the hazards lurking beneath the ground can slowly become history, instead of a recurring hazard to daily life.