Timika – Hundreds of residents from the districts of Jila, Hoya, and Alama in Mimika Regency, Central Papua, staged a peaceful protest in front of the Mimika Transportation Department (Dishub) office on Tuesday (April 29, 2025). They demanded that the local government immediately restore the subsidized flight services that have been suspended for the past two years.
The protest was organized by the Mimika Regency Subsidized Air Service Care Team. In his speech, the team’s leader, Esau Dorame, stated that the suspension of flight services had left mountain communities isolated.
“For the past two years, we have been cut off from the outside world. No planes have arrived, prices for basic goods have skyrocketed, and access to healthcare and education services has been severely disrupted. We demand the immediate reinstatement of subsidized flights,” Esau said.
The protest’s secretary, Jeki Uamang, also highlighted the severe impact on the distribution of essential goods and basic public services.
“We have not only lost access to the market, but also our right to proper healthcare. This is a matter of citizens’ right to life,” Jeki emphasized.
Protest coordinator Eli Dolame warned that if their demands were not promptly addressed, residents plan to occupy the Transportation Department office.
The peaceful demonstration drew support from various community groups, including church leaders, youth representatives, and intellectuals from the three districts. They stressed that their movement was purely to fight for basic rights, with no political agenda involved.
As of this report, the crowd remains gathered outside the Dishub Mimika office, awaiting an official response from the local government.
