Tribal war in Papua

PAPUA, INDONESIA In the remote mountainous regions of Indonesia’s Papua Province, tribal wars still occur today, with roots that reach deep into local traditions. Armed clashes between individual tribes are most commonly triggered by disputes over land, blood feuds for killed or injured relatives, disagreements over marriages, or political conflicts. The fighting is carried out mainly with traditional weapons such as bows, arrows, spears, and machetes, and the clashes regularly result in injuries and deaths. Although tribal warfare is illegal in Indonesia, it continues to persist in some parts of Papua, and ending the conflicts often requires intervention by the elite Brimob police unit or the military.