Hengky Yeimo & Abeth You, Nabire – Rights activist Yones Douw said his party had received a testimony from a number of residents in Ilaga District, saying three civilians from Nipuralome Village were shot dead by the Police's Nemangkawi task force on Friday, June 4, 2021.

Jakarta – The armed conflict in Papua has escalated recently with a series of armed contacts being unavoidable and more loss of life.

The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) has also warned all Indonesians working in Papua to immediately leave the land of the Bird of Paradise as Papua is known.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The National Police is going to autopsy the body of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani, who was allegedly shot dead by Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel in Intan Jaya Regency in September last year.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – A full autopsy has been conducted on the body of a Protestant pastor shot dead in Indonesia's Papua region last year as part of an official investigation into a group of soldiers suspected of killing him.

The autopsy on Reverend Yeremia Zanambani of the Gospel Tabernacle Church of Indonesia was carried out on June 5 in Papua's Intan Jaya district.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – The National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Papua has suggested the government return the refugees of armed conflict in Puncak Regency back to their respective hometowns.

Genta TM, Rahmad Nasution, Jakarta – The XVIII/Kasuari Regional Military Command is striving to improve the welfare of soldiers stationed in West Papua by providing flats to them.

The flats, built on a total area of 780 square meters inside the military command compound's complex in Manokwari, the capital of West Papua Province, was inaugurated on June 2.

Chris Barrett and Karuni Rompies, Singapore – Indonesian troops on a manhunt for rebels in the strife-torn region of West Papua have been given carte blanche to shoot anyone, a local priest warns, after the government labelled armed separatists "terrorists".

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Palm oil licenses covering concessions twice the size of Los Angeles have been rescinded by the local government in Indonesia's West Papua province due to violations by the license holders.

Twelve people have been arrested over an alleged terrorist plot to attack an archbishop and police stations in the Indonesian province of Papua, local police officials said.

Continuing telecommunications outages in Indonesia's Papua region have created a media blind spot by blocking the flow of information about ongoing conflict in its central highlands.

Hellena Souisa – Tensions have been rising in the past month, between pro-independence campaigners and the military in Indonesia's eastern most provinces of West Papua and Papua that share a border with Papua New Guinea.

During that time they have been frequent internet blackouts, making it hard to get up to date information out of the contested region.

Max Lane – Recent events in Papua underscore the fact that there is no solution that is entirely free of risk for Jakarta. Instead, the choice is between separate sets of risks.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Indonesian police say they have arrested 10 suspected Islamic terrorists in Papua, foiling a plot to attack several churches in the country's Christian-majority region.

Jakarta – West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) spokesperson Sebby Sambom says they are not prepared to hold a dialogue with or pursue diplomacy with the Indonesian government unless it is mediated by the United Nations.

Budiarti Utami Putri, Jakarta – The chairperson of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Benny Wenda, responded to what he believes is a baseless allegation made by the Indonesian State Intelligence (BIN) against separatist groups.

Laurens Ikinia – Papuans are in mourning after the recent passing of Klemen Tinal, the Vice Governor of Papua Province.

News of his sudden death at Abdi Waluyo Hospital in Jakarta on Friday 21 May at 0400 am local time came as a shock to the indigenous people of the Indonesian-Melanesian province.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian State Intelligence Agency (BIN) in Thursday's meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) recommended the House to quickly pass the second changes in Bill No. 21/2021 on the special autonomy in the Papua Province.

Jakarta – Amid the deepening trust deficit between the Papuan people and the government, many in the country's easternmost territory suspect that the disruption to the local internet service in April was actually a deliberate move to silence anti-government critics and activists.

Indonesia's government is being urged to release the West Papua pro-independence activist Victor Yeimo.

The West Papua National Committee spokesman was arrested earlier this month over his alleged role in widespread anti-racism protests in 2019. Yeimo is facing 11 charges, including treason, arson, and incitement.

Budiarti Utami Putri, Jakarta – Human rights activist and lawyer for Papua, Veronica Koman, on Thursday questioned the Indonesian government's commitment to accommodate the participation of Papuan indigenous in the 'Papua Special Autonomy Bill' as she said House members plan to hold the meeting behind closed doors on Monday, May 31.

Laily R, Rahmad Nasution, Jakarta – Indonesia's army and police personnel deployed in Papua are entrusted with enforcing the law against armed terrorist groups and safeguarding the government's development agenda in the easternmost province, a high-ranking police officer stated.

Maire Leadbeater – New Zealand is more than a bystander – our Government repeatedly endorses Indonesia's sovereignty over West Papua and has defence ties with Indonesia.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Churches in Papua have offered to mediate talks between the Indonesian government and separatist groups in a bid to ease tensions in the restive region.

Imam B, Rahmad Nasution, Jakarta – The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) has put five leaders heading separatist terrorist groups operating in Papua and West Papua on its most-wanted list.

The agency will track down the leaders, in accordance with Indonesia's Law No. 5/2018 on Terrorism, BNPT chief Coms.Gen.Boy Rafli Amar said here on Thursday.

Jim Elmslie and Camellia Webb-Gannon – "Destroy them first. We will discuss human rights matters later." These are the reported words of Bambang Soesatyo, chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly to the Indonesian military (TNI), last month.

Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Foreign Affairs
PO Box 6100
Senate, Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

27 May 2021

Dear Foreign Minister,

Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta – Human rights activist and lawyer Veronica Koman has refuted accusations by State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Deputy Chief Lieutenant General Teddy Lhaksmana Widya Kusuma who said that Koman is taking advantage of the 2021 National Sports Week (PON) to create instability in Papua.

Erlina Fury Santika, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD claims that 92 percent of the Papuan people support the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

This was conveyed after he met with several Papuan figures following a meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I on Tuesday May 25.

Syaiful H, Rahmad Nasution, Jakarta – Indonesia's top security minister, Mahfud MD, highlighted the government's priority to seek peaceful solutions to the Papuan issue though will continue to crack down on armed Papuan terrorist groups that have threatened most Papuan communities.

Leanne Jorari – As popular support for West Papua grows more vocal, PNG officials walk a diplomatic tightrope.

A video recently surfaced on social media in Papua New Guinea, featuring a group of about 20 men, gathered around their apparent leader, declaring war on Indonesia.

Indonesian police have forcefully dispersed a number of West Papuan protests around the region today.

The protestors were calling for the release of pro-independence activist Victor Yeimo who was taken into police custody over two weeks ago.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD claims that only a handful of Papuans want independence. More than that, he said, 92 percent of Papuans support the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

An exiled West Papuan leader has condemned Indonesian for "hypocrisy" in speaking out about Myanmar and Palestine while voting to ignore genocide and ethnic cleansing at the United Nations.

The leading English-language daily newspaper, The Jakarta Post, has also criticised Jakarta's UN vote.

Charles Maniani, Manokwari – Hundreds of people in Manokwari from the Papuan People's Solidarity (SRP) once again articulated their opposition to the extension of Special Autonomy in Papua and other demands on the morning of Tuesday May 25.

The Indonesian government is speaking out about Myanmar and Palestine whilst voting to ignore genocide and ethnic cleansing at the UN. We are thankful that Indonesian leaders show solidarity with the suffering of the Palestinians and Myanmarese, but Indonesia is desperately trying to cover up its own crimes against humanity in West Papua.

Markus You, Nabire – With the exception of a mass protest against racism on the grounds of the Papua governor's office on August 19, 2019, Victor Yeimo was never involved in the subsequent protest action on August 29 in Jayapura city which ended in a riot.

Pacific churches have condemned the media blackout in West Papua, military crackdown in parts of the territory and the silencing of dissenting voices.

They have also criticised the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) for "allowing Indonesia into their fold".

Bandung – Activists from the Papua People's Solidarity (Sorak) held a protest action in front of the Merdeka building in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on the afternoon of Friday May 21.

Tom Allard and Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Jakarta (Reuters) – A new security crackdown on armed separatists in the central highlands of Papua will be maintained until the separatists are wiped out, the National Police's intelligence chief has said.

Jakarta – A brief protest action was held by Papuan activists from the Papua People's Petition (PRP) at the Horse Statue on Jalan Medan Barat Jakarta in Central Jakarta at 8 am.

Jakarta – Simultaneous protest actions held in three cities by the Papua People's Petition (PRP) have also taken up the situation in Palestine which has been heating up of late. They called for an immediate halt to the attacks on Palestine people in the Gaza Strip.

Charles Maniani, Manokwari – The group Papua People's Solidarity (SRP) in Manokwari, West Papua province, have demonstrated to demand the immediate and unconditional release of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson Victor Yeimo.

CNN Indonesia, Jakarta – Papuan people who are members of civil group Papuan People's Petition have staged protests in three cities on Friday, May 21, 2021 to voice opposition, among others, against the escalated armed conflict in Papua in the past month.

Usman Hamid and Ari Pramuditya – If insanity, as the saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then the Indonesian government's approach to Papua is a textbook example.

The West Papua Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the deaths of two Indonesian soldiers in Yahukimo regency on Tuesday.

It's the latest in a string of deaths as the Army's guerilla fighters trade attacks with Indonesia's military forces who recently mounted a crackdown on the rebels.

Hengky Yeimo, Nabire, Jubi – Dozens of people from the Kabuki Village of Mabugi District arrived in Ilaga, the capital district of Puncak Regency, on Wednesday after two weeks of walking through the forest and passing two mountains.

Andita Rahma, Antara, Jakarta – The National Police recorded that there are around 150 members of the Papuan armed criminal groups. The number was obtained after the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) mapped all rebel groups in the province.

Prianka Srinivasan and Hellena Souisa – Two Indonesian military officers have been killed by independence fighters in Papua as violence continues to flare in Indonesia's easternmost provinces.

Maria Baru, Sorong City – At least 31 human rights and pro-democracy organisations have urged the Indonesian government and the police to immediately release West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson Victor Yeimo (VY) from all charges.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – The Indonesian police asserted that not all members of the armed criminal group or KKB in Papua who surrender to the police would face sanctions.

The Police Chief's Assistant Operations, Inspector General Imam Sugianto, explained that the Nemangkawi Task Force would first explore the track records of those who surrendered.