Family Loses Contact With Papua Activist Yasinta Moiwend Amidst Controversy

The family of Papua activist Yasinta Moiwend, known affectionately as Mama Yasinta, has reported losing contact with her since Sunday, May 24, 2026. Her child suspects this disappearance is linked to alleged pressure following media discussions connecting her to the movie 'Pesta Babi.' The family last communicated with Moiwend on Saturday, May 23, and has been unable to reach her since.

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We from Mama Yasinta's family want to clarify. Starting from Sunday, May 24, 2026, we lost contact with her.

According to her child, the family fears that Moiwend was taken from her village in Kampung Wogekel, Ilwayab District, Merauke, South Papua, by unknown parties without their consent. She reportedly stayed overnight at a TNI post on Sunday and was allegedly taken the following day by military personnel and district officials involved in securing a national strategic project. Her family claims she was moved without their knowledge.

Initial suspicions were that Moiwend was transported by boat to Merauke. However, the family later received information that she might be traveling by jet plane to Timika, Central Papua. As of Friday, May 29, 2026, her whereabouts remained uncertain to her family. They learned of these developments indirectly when military personnel and district officials returned to Kampung Wanam and used a soldier's phone to contact Moiwend, who was reportedly in Jakarta.

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She was taken without the family's knowledge.

During this brief communication, Moiwend allegedly asked her family to send identification documents and mentioned plans to meet with President Prabowo Subianto. This development surprised her family, given her known opposition to national strategic projects in South Papua. Amidst this controversy, Moiwend, accompanied by her legal counsel, filed a report against the head of the Merauke Legal Aid Institute on May 29, 2026, citing alleged violations of the Personal Data Protection Law related to the 'Pesta Babi' movie.

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She also conveyed Mama Yasinta's plan to meet with President Prabowo Subianto.