Antara, Papua – Indonesian police will need time to hunt down Papuan separatist terrorists owing to their knowledge of the terrains where they operate and hide, a top official has said.

Jakarta – Indonesian authorities should drop politically motivated treason charges and unconditionally release an activist detained for peacefully advocating Papuan independence, Human Rights Watch said today.

New Zealand is being urged to speak up about human rights abuses in West Papua, and to cut military ties with Indonesia.

Hundreds of troops have been deployed to the region after an intelligence chief was killed by pro-independence Papuan guerilla fighters last month.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia says it will stop building new coal-fired power plants after 2023 to meet its carbon-neutral goals – but the more than 100 plants to be built by then will still be churning out CO2 decades after that.

Max Lane – Despite a legacy of citizen passivity from the New Order era, elite fear of the freedom social media promises remains strong.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Terrorists from the East Indonesia Mujahideen have killed four Christian farmers including one Catholic in Indonesia's Poso district in Central Sulawesi province.

They were killed when they were working in a coffee plantation in Kalimago village at 8.25am on May 11.

Peter Job – Since his death on 13 April, tributes to former Australian foreign minister and leader of the federal opposition Andrew Peacock have flowed from across the political divide. He has been remembered as a huge figure who left an "indelible" mark on Australia in the 1970s and 1980s.

Jakarta – Human Rights Watch (HRW) is calling on the Indonesian police to drop politically motivated treason charges against West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson Victor Yeimo.

Yeimo was arrested for calling for an independence referendum for Papua which he expressed in 2019 during the anti-racism protests and riots in Papua and West Papua provinces.

Sebastian Strangio – Indonesian authorities have arrested a Papuan independence leader for his alleged role in orchestrating a spate of civil unrest in 2019, the latest sign of the central government's growing crackdown in the eastern region.

Audrey Santoso, Jayapura – Police say that Victor Yeimo, the actor behind the riots in Papua two years ago, is in contact with lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman, who is in Australia, and is supplying her with data.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) is questioning the Indonesian police's logic related to accusations that non-government organisations (NGOs) and human rights activists are inflaming the situation in Papua.

Jakarta – The Freedom of Religion and Beliefs Coalition, which is made up of a number of non-government organisations (NGOs), has revealed several odd questions included in the civics or nationalism test (TWK) given to Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) employees.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – Social Affairs Minister Tri "Risma" Rismaharini said she was ready to answer to the House of Representatives regarding the millions of duplicate data entries found in the ministry's integrated social welfare data (DTKS) registry.

A young woman in Cianjur, West Java died today due to severe burn injuries, which were allegedly inflicted by the man she dated.

According to reports, 22-year-old ID had a heated argument with her boyfriend, 32-year-old D, on May 1 that almost resulted in their breakup. D went home and grabbed a can of gas, doused ID with it, and set her on fire.

Jakarta's malls and leisure destinations are usually packed during Eid holiday, but this year the provincial government wants citizens to stay at home with an order to shut most public facilities during the period.

The Indonesian government has chalked May 17 as the start date for the country's independent vaccination program, in which companies can procure vaccines from the government to be distributed at no cost to their employees.

If there's any stat that justifies the government's Eid homecoming mudik ban this year, it's this one.

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, who also heads the National Economic Recovery and COVID-19 Response Team, said in a press conference today that the majority of mudik travelers randomly tested for COVID-19 at traffic checkpoints have the viral disease.

Rory James – Violence has flared in West Papua, with journalists and activists targeted, an internet blackout, and villagers forced to flee into the jungle.

Hundreds of additional Indonesian soldiers have been deployed to West Papua in the last month and thousands of people have reportedly been displaced in the Puncak regency.

Ratu Durotun Nafisah – On 29 April, the Indonesian government declared that all 'armed criminal groups' (KBB) and people and organisations affiliated with them were terrorists.

Antonio Sampaio, Dili – The Timor-Leste health authorities have registered a total of 126 new infections with SARS-CoV-2 in the last 24 hours, almost all in the Timorese capital, according to official data.

Nurhastuty K. Wardhani and Asmiati Malik – Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, could maximise its tax revenue by increasing the income tax for wealthy individuals – those with a net worth exceeding US$1 million or Rp 14.2 billion – that continue to grow in number every year.

Jakarta – The Indonesian police have stated that non-government organisations (NGOs) and human rights activists are inflaming the situation in Papua.

Police intelligence and security chief Commissioner General Paulus Waterpauw says that they are categorised as non-state actors who are continuing to promote the issue of separatism.

Jakarta – At least seven people were killed and one reported missing after a landslide at a West Sumatra gold mine, authorities said Tuesday.Torrential rains triggered a landslide on Monday, inundating the mine with mud mixed with stones and debris in South Solok regency, West Sumatra, said the local emergency agency head Fikri.

Jakarta – Muslim preacher Tengku Zulkarnain, widely known for his political remarks critical of the Joko "Jokowi" Widodo government, died on Monday at the age of 57 while being treated for Covid-19.

Local media said he was admitted to Tabrani Hospital in the Riau province capital, Pekanbaru, on May 2 after testing positive for Covid-19.

Natasa Christy Wahyuni, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities said Tuesday there is no plan to suspend the use of AstraZeneca vaccine amid reports that a man in East Jakarta died one day after receiving the first jab of the UK vaccine.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian and Chinese navies conducted a joint military exercise in the waters near Jakarta on May 8, 2021 to improve coordination during emergencies at sea, the China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Police (Polri) on Monday admits the challenges that makes it difficult for authorities to overcome the armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua. The Head of police intelligence, Gen. Commissioner Paulus Waterpauw attributes the difficulties to the group's dominating the local terrain.

Caesar Akbar, Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister of Economics Airlangga Hartarto predicts the wave of arrivals of Indonesian migrant workers in March-May from overseas amounts to 49,682 people. He insists that a special strategy to handle the situation needs to be established to prevent the new covid-19 strain from entering the country.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – State telecommunications firm Telkom (Telkom Indonesia) announced that it is fixing the damaged underwater Sulawesi Maluku Papua Cable System (SMPCS) which has caused internet blackout in Jayapura, Papua and its vicinity for over 10 days.

Antara, Jakarta – Based on an evaluation, there was a significant decline in the number of people who went home for Eid al-Fitr between May 6 and May 9, 2021, stated Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.

Jakarta – World Health Organization's recent nod for the Chinese Covid-19 jab, Sinopharm, for emergency use can boost vaccine access and consequently pave the way for herd immunity in Indonesia.

Emma Connors, Singapore/Jakarta – Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund is finally open for business and the government of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has made some important concessions in a bid to attract foreign capital.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – The Catholic Church and rights activists have condemned Indonesia's Supreme Court for invalidating a recent ministerial decree banning state schools from interfering in the religious beliefs of students and teachers, saying the move will encourage discrimination and intolerance in the education system.

Brutality in West Papua has escalates with civilian and military casualties in the past month, reports SBS News.

The killing of Indonesia's spy chief on the ground and proscribing of the independence movement and fighters as "terrorists" has boosted fears that a major confrontation is looming.

A Papuan leader who has been sought by Indonesian police over the 2019 Papua "Spring" uprising, Victor Yeimo, has been arrested and charged with makar (treason, subversion, rebellion), reports CNN Indonesia.

Nemangkawi Task Force head Senior Commissioner Iqbal Alqudusy confirmed the arrest, saying it took place at 7.15 pm on Sunday.

A leading figure in West Papua's independence movement has been arrested by Indonesian police in relation to large protests in 2019.

Victor Yeimo is the foreign spokesman for the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, which has a large following in the Indonesian-ruled provinces of Papua region.

President Joko Widodo is under fire for promoting a local dish, which happens to be off-limits to the Muslim majority population of the country.

Denpasar, Bali – A Canadian man has been expelled from Bali for offering an "orgasmic" yoga class after authorities said he disrespected local traditions and values.

Kate Lamb and Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities have arrested Papuan separatist leader Victor Yeimo over accusations that he orchestrated some of the most serious civil unrest in decades that broke out in 2019, the National Police said on Monday.

Yudha Baskoro, Jakarta – Hundreds of hoodlums and gang member have been flocking to a mosque in West Jakarta to remove tattoo from their skin since the beginning of Islamic fasting month this year as an act to express their repentance.

Jakarta – Indonesia has received around 6.4 million vaccine doses from the multilateral scheme Covax after welcoming a fresh vaccine shipment over the weekend.

Imam Hamdi, Jakarta – Urban transport expert and Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) Head, Djoko Setijowarno on Monday argues that the government shows inconsistency upon restricting people's Eid Homecoming or 'mudik' mobility ahead of the Eid celebration.

Budiarti Utami Putri, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister of Politics, Law, and Security Mahfud MD in an interview on Friday urged the Indonesian public to no longer use the term 'Papuan armed criminal groups' as it could mislead people to unfairly generalize people with Papuan origins as armed criminal groups (KKB).

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – Restaurant owner who sells the typical West Kalimantan dish 'bipang ambawang' or roasted pork, Juniarto, said that there is over 100 percent increase in demand for the aforementioned dish, which his restaurant sells as a main course, after it went viral in social media.

10 May 2021

Hon Nanaia Mahuta,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Parliament Buildings
Wellington.

Tena koe Nanaia Mahuta,

A 22-year-old Jakarta resident died within hours of receiving a shot of the COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca, officials said, as an investigation is underway to establish whether or not his death was linked to the vaccine.

Jakarta – Telekomunikasi Seluler, or Telkomsel, the cellular operator unit of Indonesia's largest telecom company Telkom Indonesia, has injected $300 million new investment in ride-hailing decacorn Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa, or Gojek Indonesia, a move that the company hope would strengthen its position in digital businesses.

On Sunday May 9, the Indonesian colonial police arrested Victor Yeimo, one of our most prominent leaders inside West Papua. This is a sign to the world that the Indonesian government wants to use its 'terrorist' designation as a smoke-screen to repress the people of West Papua.

Jayapura – Several Indonesian media outlets have mistakenly quoted a dead Free West Papua (OPM) founder, who died four years ago, in the news as the misidentified person was bashing human rights lawyer Veronica Koman for speaking up about Papua, calling her a provocateur.

Antara, Jayapura, Papua – The Indonesian government has officially labelled members of armed Papuan groups as terrorists owing to their acts of terror and crimes against innocent civilians, a high police official said.