Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) hopes that the police will soon provide an explanation for the arrest of an activist from the Foundation for Legal Education

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
Washington, DC 20520

October 31, 2007

Dear Madame Secretary,

On 18 October, members of the anti-terrorist squad, Detachment 88 arrested Iwanggin Sabar Olif, a human rights activist in Jayapura.

Jakarta – Human rights activists are calling for the immediate release of Sabar Iwanggin, a Papuan lawyer, arrested because he forwarded a mobile phone text message, said to be offensiv

Jakarta – The horizontal tribal conflict in Banti, District of Tembagapura, Mile 68, Freeport has not yet been resolved by either of the warring parties.

We received information from Jayapura on Sat, 20 Oct 2007 that a West Papuan lawyer Sabar Iwanggin has been arrested in Jayapura and was being interrogated by personnel from the Detachm

A United States-based West Papuan journalist and academic says the media access to Indonesia's Papua region has become more restricted.

Members of the Papuan community living in the Papua New Guinea capital say they fear for their safety after the murder of a senior court magistrate at the weekend.

Emily Sherlock – They have been interrupting our TV viewing for months.

Harlyne Joku – West Papuans numbering 600 have agreed to be repatriated to their home province in Indonesia, the independent group supporting special autonomous region of Papua (IGSSARP

Markus Makur, Timika – Eight people have been killed and 19 others injured in ongoing violence involving four tribes in Tembagapura district, Mimika, Papua.

The Sydney Australia West Papua Association urges the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Tonga this week to discus the gravely deteriorating situation in West Papua.

Leaders of Pacific Island countries, including Australia and New Zealand, should devote special attention to the plight of West Papuan human rights defenders at the annual meeting of th

The Indonesia Human Rights Committee is urging the New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark to advocate for the people of West Papua at the Pacific Islands Forum when it meets next week.

Greenpeace has warned that Indonesia's plans to clear Papuan forests for palm oil plantations will hinder efforts to mitigate climate change.

Jayapura, Papua – At least 300 members of the Biak Traditional Council (DAB) protested Thursday outside the Biak Numfor regency legislative council, demanding the government review its

Markus Makur, Timika – Papua province's rich natural resources have had no impact on life in the remote villages of Asmat and East Mimika Jauh, in Mimika regency.

The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) is calling on the Government of Indonesia to end more than four decades of oppression and human rights abuses.

Sarah Smiles – A united front of Papuan leaders has called for crisis talks with Jakarta as human rights abuses escalate in the militarised Indonesian province.

Pacific Islands leaders are being asked to consider the plight of the nearly two million Melanesian people in the Indonesian region of Papua when they meet in Tonga in two weeks.

Sarah Smiles, Canberra – The 17-year-old daughter of a prominent Papuan activist has been kidnapped, drugged and assaulted at gunpoint by a group allegedly linked to Indonesian security

A group of pro-independence Papuans said it has asked Indonesia's government to meet to discuss greater democracy and self-determination as well as the withdrawal of troops from the tro

Jakarta – The terrorisation of the Papuan chief representative of the National Human Rights Commission or Komnas HAM, Albert Rumbekwan, could have an impact on Indonesia's image as a me

David Crawshaw – Australia broke international law and endangered the lives of five Papuan asylum seekers by secretly sending the men back to Papua New Guinea, refugee advocates say.

Rob Taylor, Canberra – Australia secretly deported five separatist asylum seekers from Indonesia's Papua province, in what rights groups said on Thursday was an attempt to appease Jakar

Jakarta – In relation to his duties and responsibilities as a representative of the National Human Rights Commission or Komnas HAM in Papua, Albert Rumbekwan is a state official and can

Markus Makur, Timika – More than half of the population of Mimika regency, Papua, live below the poverty line and lack access to health care, education, proper clothing and food, an off

Jayapura, Kompas – The residence of the chairperson of the Papuan Representative office of the National Human Rights Commission or Komnas HAM, Albert Rumbekwan, was broken into by unide

Jayapura – Although the matter has not been in the news recently, it now appears that the police are still carrying out investigations about the flying of the Kejora flag at the Sports

Anton Aprianto, Jakarta – Former Foreign Affairs Minister of Free Papua Organization (OPM), Nicholas Messet, 61, has met Vice President Jusuf Kalla and asked to become an Indonesian cit

A number of human rights activists and leading personalities in West Papua have taken the unusual step of making representations to the police in Jayapura, complaining that they have be

Julia Daia Bore – Over 500 settlers from Papua province of Indonesia (formerly West Papua) living at the 8-Mile Settlement outside the nation's capital are likely to be evicted today by

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The Army's plan to establish a third infantry division in Papua is necessary and feasible, as long as the proposal is first approved by the Defense Ministry, a

Jakarta – The Indonesian Army has proposed a third infantry division for their Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) in Papua, which would see more guards made available to patrol Papua

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A group of Papuan public figures has called on the government to restart discussions on the establishment of Central Papua province in order to speed up de

The human rights organisation ELSHAM says Indonesian security forces continue to target Papuans and abuse their human rights.

The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) calls on Prime Minister Howard to raise the issue of West Papua with the Indonesian President at APEC.

Jake Lynch – Prime Minister John Howard's handshake with George W.

Reports from Human Rights workers confirm that the Indonesian military (TNI) and police launched a new military offensive in the Jamo (also spelt Yamo) Valley in the remote Puncak Jaya

Tom Hyland – Matius Bunai was last seen alive three weeks ago today when he left a church service in the town of Nabire in the Indonesian province of Papua.

The 4th National Gathering of the Australian Coalition of West Papua Support Groups met in Sydney over the weekend of the 11-12 August to discuss and formulate campaigns to highlight th

Jayapura – Some 300 protesters who said they were from the Coalition of People and Students Care of Papua held a rally at Papua Legislative Council on Monday demanding the provincial go

Two West Papuan men have been murdered in separate incidents in what appears to be a return of the 'mysterious killing' style of political repression, which was carried out by the Indon

There is concern being expressed about the statement by the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, linking Papuan separatists to terrorism.

Erica Vowles – The rights and revenue that were supposed to flow from West Papua's Special Autonomy Law – implemented by the Indonesian Government in 2001 – are yet to transpire for the

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has warned his Government will not tolerate interference from those who want to slow down the development of Papua.

Craig Skehan – The diplomatically sensitive Morning Star independence flag was flown outside the Australian Parliament yesterday by a group of West Papuans – some of whose successful as

Markus Makur, Timika – Soldiers and police officers have been ordered to take strict action against any groups or parties that erect Papua's Bintang Kejora flags during the commemoratio

Here is a strong warning as the 17th August anniversary approaches to anyone who tries to pull down the red-and-white flag already unfurled on the mast.

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard is being asked to speak up for the human rights of Papua when he meets Indonesia's President in Sydney next month.