Dorian Malovic, Jakarta – "Papua has been living a nightmare of unimaginable violence for over half a century. No one cares about the tragic fate of the Papuan minority, who suffer from the injustices of the ruling powers and the Indonesian military, who accuse them of being separatists," said Father Alexandro Rangga.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 13 August 2024, an incident of arbitrary arrest and intimidation against Papuan activists occurred in the town of Sentani, Jayapura Regency, Papua Province.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 29 August 2024, members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) arbitrarily arrested two indigenous Papuans in Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Tengah Province.

Victor Mambor and Tria Dianti in Jayapura and Jakarta – Hundreds of indigenous Papuans staged protests on Wednesday to highlight ongoing violence and displacement in the conflict-torn Papua region as Pope Francis met with Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Indigenous Christians in Papua province took to the streets on Sept. 4 to seek the pope's attention and intervention against the Indonesian government's military operations in their troubled province.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 24 August 2024, a 17-year-old Papuan named Justa Kobak was reportedly beaten by members of the Mobile Police Brigade Corps (Brimob) during a night patrol in the town of Dekai, Yahukimo Regency.

A National Strategic Project (PSN) in Bintuni Bay (Teluk Bintuni Regency), Papua Barat Province, has sparked concerns about the potential violation of indigenous land rights.

The project, handled by Genting Oil Kasuri Pte. Ltd, is facing criticism for lack of transparency and adherence to the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).

Liam Pritchett – A planned five million-acre sugarcane megaproject in Indonesia's Papua province could threaten its uniquely biodiverse rainforest and the Indigenous Papuans who depend on it.

Fitri Ramadhani, Jayapura – Pope Francis' visit to Indonesia is expected to bring a fresh breeze to the land of Papua. Through his Papal encyclicals the Pope has made calls for environmental sustainability and respect for the dignity of fellow human beings.

Ali Mirin – Members of the Indonesian mobile police (Brimob) fatally shot Tobias Silak, a 24-year-old Papuan employed by the local election supervisory agency (Bawaslu) and seriously injured 17-year-old Papuan, Naro Dapla, in Dekai, Yahukimo District, West Papua, on August 20.

Nanda Perdana Putra, Jakarta – A protest action was held by a number of people across from the Vatican Embassy in ??South Jakarta shortly before Pope Francis returned from the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta today, Wednesday September 4.

Jayapura – The High School and University Student Front for Human Rights Concern held a peaceful action at the United Nations Representative office in Jakarta on Friday August 30 during which they reported cases of human rights violations, genocide, ecocide and ethnocide to the UN.

As President of the ULMWP and on behalf of the people of West Papua, I welcome the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Communique reaffirming the 2019 call for a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visit to West Papua:

Leaders recalled their decision from 2019 and 2023 and noted the update from the Special Envoys.

Paul Gregoire – Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto was in Canberra early last week to meet with soon-to-be counter-part-prime minister Anthony Albanese and to further negotiate a new defence deal, in his current capacity as Indonesian defence minister with our own defence minister Richard Marles.

Alex Bainbridge, Magan-djin/Brisbane – More than 100 people marched through the streets of Magan-djin/Brisbane on August 30 as part of a School Strike 4 Climate student strike for West Papua.

"Right now my people, the people of West Papua are living through a painful reality," a message from Papuan activist Jeffrey which was read to the crowd said.

Indonesia, West Papua – A member of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) special unit shot Mr Charles Kogoya, 24, in front of the GIDI Jerusalem Church in Karubaga Town, Tolikara Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, on 21 August 2024.

Indonesia, West Papua – In late June 2024, Ms Tineke Rumkabu participated in the 53rd session of the Permanent People's Tribunal (PPT) in London via Zoom.

The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has admitted to facing significant delays in investigating a torture case involving indigenous Papuan civilians in Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province.

Lydia Lewis, in Nuku'alofa, Tonga – The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) wants to have a meeting with Indonesia's incoming President Prabowo Subianto to address ongoing human rights concerns in West Papua.

The 2024 Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' Meeting is a critical moment for Pacific leaders to show courage and leadership on one of the biggest issues facing our region: West Papua.

Dear Pacific Islands Forum Leaders,

I am writing to you concerning the issue of West Papua.

Lydia Lewis, Nuku'alofa, Tonga – West Papua is within the sovereignty of Indonesia, so responsibility lies with them in addressing independence demands, Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister, James Marape, says.

But the leader of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Benny Wenda, told RNZ Pacific the issue was not about sovereignty.

Ronny Kareni & Dennis Kuiai – West Papua, arguably a trust-territory, has been embroiled in a prolonged struggle for freedom from colonial oppression. Its indigenous right to self-determination has been denied and undermined by international inaction, negligence and complicity.

The case of Papuan journalist Victor Mambor, who was the victim of a Molotov bomb attack in early 2023, continues to be a source of controversy and concern. Despite multiple attempts to seek justice, the perpetrators of the attack remain at large.

The advocacy groups of the Catholic Church in Papua have urged the Indonesian government to protect civilians from violence in the predominantly Christian region.

Another case of extrajudicial killing occurred in the town of Dekai, Yahukimo District, Papua Pegunungan Province, on 20 August 2024. Mr Tobias Silak,23, a staff member at the local Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), was fatally shot by members of the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) at a guard post near the airport entrance.

A video showing a police officer assaulting an evangelist during his demonstration (individual speech) in front of the Biak Numfor Resort Police Office has gone viral and has caused significant public concern and led to immediate actions by the authorities.

Some of the conflicts in Papua stem from illegal operations by companies that have failed to involve the customary land rights owners. A prominent example is the operation of PT Zoomlion in Kapiraya District, Central Papua Province. This issue urgently requires intervention from the Central Papua Provincial Government.

Recent findings highlight the ongoing use of treason charges to suppress peaceful activism in Papua, raising significant concerns over the infringement of fundamental human rights.

Harry Pearl, Brisbane – Papua New Guinea's media council has condemned as "concerning" and "shameful" the exclusion of a BenarNews journalist from media events during a visit by Indonesia's President-elect to the capital Port Moresby on Wednesday.

In a statement from Department of Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia and his counterpart His Excellency Prabowo Subianto, Minister for Defence of the Republic of Indonesia, announced the conclusion of negotiations to upgrade the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Arrangement to a treaty level agreement at a meeting in

Indonesia, West Papua – Every year, West Papuans come together to commemorate the2019 West Papua Uprising and the New York Agreement of 1962 signed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Indonesia regarding the administration of the territory of Western New Guinea under mediation of the United States of America.

Indonesia's incoming president Prabowo Subianto is in Australia. From there, Subianto, a former army general, will return to Jakarta via Port Moresby.

General Subianto says it's a reciprocal trip to honour PNG Prime Minister James Marape's visit to Indonesia in recent times.

Larius Kogoya, Sentani – Leading members of the West Papua Council of Churches (WPCC) consider the installation of banners celebrating the 79th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, which used the names of church figures and WPCC leaders, as a strategy by the state to cover up violence and silence of freedom of expression in Papua.

Ikhsan Reliubun, Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Organization of Free Papua (TPNPB-OPM) stated that there will be an award given to the health workers to coincide with the celebration of Independence Day or the 79th Anniversary of Indonesia.

Nabire – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) member Gerson Pigai says that 101 KNPB activists who took part in demonstrations and were arrested by the Nabire District Police (Polres) on Thursday morning, August 15, including three others who were arrested prior to this for handing out leaflets, have now all been released and returned home.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura, Indonesia – Indonesian security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes with protestors marking the 62nd anniversary of a U.N. agreement that paved the way for Jakarta's annexation of the Papua region.

Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – The Cartenz Peace Operation has issued a Wanted List for five alleged perpetrators behind the murder of Glen Malcolm Conning, the New Zealand helicopter pilot for PT Intan Angkasa Air Service.

The five perpetrators are allegedly members of the armed criminal group led by Perek Jelas Kogoya, headquartered in Yuguru, Nduga Regency.

Alfred Pagepitu – The President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Benny Wenda, visited the country to seek support for their application for full membership into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

On Tuesday, Mr. Wenda met with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele to discuss issues related to West Papua's MSG membership.

Activists from the West Papua National Committee or the KNPB returned to the streets for their 14th action on Thursday August 15, to commemorate the 1962 New York Agreement, the day when power over West Papua was transferred from the Netherlands to Indonesia.

Jakarta – The prolonged abduction of Susi Air pilot Phillip Mehrtens and the killing of another pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, in strife-torn Papua, are unjustifiable criminal acts.

Kidnapping and killing will not bring any good to the Papuan people, who have been longing for peace and prosperity. The acts of violence will instead worsen the hard life facing many Papuans.

A contentious legal dispute has emerged in the Sorong Regency, Papua Barat Daya Province, involving PT Mancaraya Agro Mandiri (MAM), a subsidiary of the Manca Group, and the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) Malamoi.

The 15 August marks 62 years since The New York Agreement and West Papuans are still suffering under Indonesian colonial rule. Yes, most of the world recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua at this stage but most also would recognise that the so called act of free choice in 1969 was a sham.

The New York Agreement

Despite being mineral-rich, conflict-torn Christian-majority region among the poorest and most underdeveloped provinces

Yuliana Langowuyo hopes that Pope Francis will remember to speak about the ongoing rights violations and injustices in the restive Papua region when he visits Indonesia next month.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – As many as 24 Papua's cultural agencies and observers rejected the move to relocate some original Papuan archaeological objects to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) office at the Cibinong Science Center, West Java.

The relocation is considered a form of eliminating the history of indigenous Papuans.

Exclusive by foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Fiji reporter Lice Movono – Fiji's prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, says he will "apologise" to fellow Melanesian leaders later this month after failing to secure agreement from Indonesia to visit its restive West Papua province.

Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) is urging the Nabire District Police Chief (Kapolres) to release four KNPB activists who were arrested when they were handing out leaflets on Monday August 12 for a protest action on August 15 to commemorate the New York Agreement.

The spotlight is again on West Papua following the killing of New Zealand pilot Glen Conning. His sad and untimely death came just as there was renewed hope that his fellow New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens might finally be released by the armed resistance fighters who have held him since February 2023.

Julia Bergin with wires – Armed independence groups, treacherous terrain, wild weather, and airstrips that make Nepal's notorious Lukla airport look like "child's play" are just some of the dangers that pilots face flying in West Papua.

Victor Mambor and Pizaro Gozali Idrus, Jayapura and Jakarta – Indonesian human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the death of a New Zealand helicopter pilot in a remote part of Papua province earlier this week.