Papua’s Agats Diocese Bishop suspends Asmat Pokman Festival 2025 after violence against selection team

The Bishop of Agats, Mgr. Aloysius Murwito OFM has officially suspended the 38th Festival Asmat Pokman (FAP) 2025, following a violent incident against two members of the festival’s carving selection team in Youw District on August 16.

During the selection process, a dispute came to arise  over long-standing rules that prohibit ritual-sacralised Asmat carvings from entering the competition.

Demands denied access

Several local artists from Youw District strongly rejected this regulation and forcefully asked organizing committee to accept their self-thought rules. As their demand was officially denied, these local artists suddenly attacked team members, including Mr. John Ohoiwirin and Fr. Lukas Lega Sando Pr, leaving John with head injuries and Fr. Lukas with a fractured nose.

Speaking with RVA, a senior local priest from the diocese explained that Father Lukas Lega Sando, head of the diocese’s Justice and Peace Secretariat, and Mr. John Ohoiwirin, the head of the Festival Selection Team, were suddenly attacked during a preparatory program in Youw Village, Betsbamu District, Asmat Regency.

“Due to their strong ambition and optimism to join the festival, they were suddenly feeling very offended to learn about the rules of the game,” the priest said.

Both victims required intensive medical treatment at hospitals in Asmat and Timika, a one-hour trip of flying from Asmat Regency to the inland Papuan Timika Regency.

Against the long-time imposed rules

The cause of last August’s violent incident was prompted by miscommunication among the selection team members and local artists. Based on the long-time regulation imposed by Agats Diocese to this present time, any wood carvings and art matter that have already been used in any cultural-ritual ceremonies would likely be barred from public exposure during the festival.

In his official statement on these strong words and decision, Bishop Msgr. Murwito claimed that any carvings as well as art matters that have been used during ritual ceremonies have already “induced” with spirit so that such things are expected to be excluded from the festival. This made those local artists furious, and they commenced to attack those people in charge of collecting selected items.

“This is the first time in decades of the cultural festival that violence has occurred, leaving us in deep sadness,” Bishop Murwito said in his statement internally released for certain Catholic faithful in the diocese.

The Bishop’s decision and official announcement have also been disseminated to the local governmental authority.

Agats Diocese Bishop declared four key decisions as follows:

• The 2025 festival is suspended until further notice.
• The perpetrators must face legal consequences.
• Community and church leaders are urged to initiate reconciliation efforts based on Asmat tradition and Christian faith.
• Future festivals will only be considered if reconciliation restores peace and fraternity.

The bishop expressed hope that all parties will accept the decision with open hearts and work together for healing.

Agats Diocese has been widely tapped by the Indonesian Catholic hierarchy as the most “remote” and difficult region to reach, as most of its territory can only be reached with two kinds of transportation:

• ultra-light aeroplane from Timika City with a one-hour flight to Ewer Airport.
• From Ever, it takes at least a 45-minute-long trip with a two-engine motorboat to Asmat’s downtown, with its width is more or less like a small village-sized housing compound.
• It takes more than 5-10 hours long trip with two-engine motorboats from Asmat to any remote areas across this huge regency through wide rivers, with its left and rightThe  banks almost not visible due to its large size.

In 2013, RVA was travelling with Bishop Murwito to visit scores of remote areas, and during our long trip, there was nobody to meet or a residential housing compound to exist.

“Fuel storage is strategically essential to bring as well-maintained engine power so that we are not supposed to be stranded in the middle of nowhere due to the absence of mobile signals and people to ask for their favour to help,” said the bishop to Licas.