Agus Pabika, Jayapura – The Provincial Government of Papua would attempt to address problems facing the exodus students who continue to stay in Jayapura City, Papua.

Papua Provincial Secretary Herry Dosinaen told hundreds of exodus students who wish to meet Papua Governor Lukas Enembe in a meeting facilitated by the Papuan People's Assembly.

Jakarta – A joint team of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police shot dead an apparent member of an Intan Jaya-based armed criminal group (KKB) for allegedly resisting arrest in Nabire regency, Papua on Monday. The deceased has been identified only as NM, 35.

Emma Kluge – Activism and protests marked West Papua's 50th anniversary last year of the so-called Act of Free Choice, which formalised Indonesia's control over the territory, with the region's people once again demanding independence from Indonesia.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – Civil society groups have accused the government of misconduct in its decision to restrict internet access in restive Papua last year as part of efforts to contain the spread of hoaxes, according to a lawsuit filed at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN).

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – The government called on all contingents not to concern about security issues for the XX National Sports Week, or PON 2020, in Papua, which is scheduled to be held from October 20 to November 2, 2020.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – Civil society groups have filed a lawsuit against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration over the internet blackout imposed during the weeks of protests in Papua and West Papua last year, arguing that it was substantially and procedurally flawed.

[Special report by Arnold Belau, Ligia Giay, Febriana Firdaus and Belinda Lopez of the Voice of Papua newsletter.]

Everything about what happened in the Papuan provincial regency of Nduga just over a year ago is still a blur and closed off. It remains an elephant in the room, just like another mass killing case in West Papua during the 1970s.

Two Papuan activists on trial for treason in Indonesia's capital decried what they described as 'racism' after the court on Monday ordered them to remove traditional penis gourds.

The Jakarta hearing descended into a standoff as the panel refused to proceed until the men put on pants – the second time their native garb led to delays in the trial of six activists.

Benny Mawel, 300,000 – Four tribes in Keerom regency, Papua, have handed over 10 hectares of land to the Indonesian Military (TNI), paving the way for the construction of a new headquarters for the area's military command post (Korem).

Aside from receiving financial compensation, the tribes also asked the military to prioritize their children in enlistment.

M Yusuf Manurung, Jakarta – Six Papua activists who are defendants in a treason case performed the song "Hindang Makendang" before the hearing began at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday January 20. The song was sung to the accompaniment of a guitar.

Jakarta – The lawyer representing Surya Anta Ginting and five other Papuan activists, Mike Himan, has confirmed that two of his clients will continue to wear traditional Papuan penis gourds (koteka) during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court today, Monday January 20.

Aryo Wisanggeni, Jayapura – The Advocate Team for Indigenous Papuans hopes the panel of judges would be objective and fair in examining the facts during the trial of a mass rampage on 29 August 2019. They said it is crucial acts to avoid perceptions that the Jayapura District Court is only an instrument of Indonesian colonialism against Papuans.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) said on Thursday that it discovered one of the bases of an armed criminal group (KKB) that has been active in Intan Jaya regency of Papua.

Cendrawasih Military Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Dax Sianturi said the soldiers found the group's base in a village in Tigi district on Tuesday.

The 79 member states of the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) group are seeking international action over human rights abuses in West Papua.

A resolution was passed by the group at its 9th ACP Summit of Heads of State and Government, calling for urgent attention to be paid to the rights situation in Indonesia-ruled Papua region.

Jakarta – The panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court has postponed a hearing scheduled to hear a rebottle by the prosecution against a demurrer by the lawyers representing Surya Anta and five other Papua activists indicted on charges of treason and criminal conspiracy.

Evarianus S, Rahmad Nasution, Timika, Papua – Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw warned his men against getting involved in arms trafficking activities with the armed criminal groups in Papua Province and said he would take stern action against them.

Jakarta – The police are reinforcing five newly formed regional police units in five regencies of the restive Papua province, which has been rocked by unrest over the past few months.

Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – Judges at the Central Jakarta District Court postponed a court session during a trial for six Papuan rights activists accused of treason on Monday since two of the defendants, both originally from Papua, chose to wear the "koteka," or traditional penis gourds, inside the courtroom.

Tarcisius Kabutaulaka – In July 2019, at the inaugural Indonesian Exposition held in Auckland, New Zealand, Indonesia launched its 'Pacific Elevation', laying claim to a Pacific islands identity and touting its elevated engagement with the region.

Tom Allard and Jack Stubbs, Jakarta/London – As Indonesia celebrated its National Heroes' Day last year, official military social media accounts lavished praise on Corporal Yunanto Nugroho for the "myriad awards he has won in the field of IT."

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court rejected on Monday a petition for a judicial review of several articles of Law No. 12/1969 on the establishment of the West Irian autonomous province and autonomous regencies in West Irian province.

Jakarta – Papuan activists Anes Dano Tabuni has insisted that he will wear a penis gourd (koteka) during court hearings on charges of treason and criminal conspiracy at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday January 6.

Sam King – Racist mobs and Indonesian police harassed and raided West Papuan student accommodation in the Indonesian cities of Surabaya, Malang and Semarang in August this year in an attempt to intimidate students sympathetic to the right of self-determination for West Papua.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – One of the lawyers representing six Papua activists being tried for treason, Annisa Rizky, says that her clients are being criminalised for excursing their freedom of expression.

Because, according to Rizky, the six Papua activists were expressing an opinion in public with good intent, not committing makar (treason, subversion, rebellion).

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court (MK) has rejected a judicial review of Law Number 12/1969 on the Formation of the West Irian (Papua) Autonomous Province and Autonomous Regencies in the Province of West Irian which was submitted based on the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

Jakarta – The legal team representing Surya Anta Ginting and three other Papua defendants charged with treason and criminal conspiracy submitted a demurrer (eksepsi) or note of objection against the public prosecutor's indictment during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday January 6.

Jakarta – The government should prioritize dialog instead of using a security approach in seeking solution to the Papuan problem. Deployment of soldiers and police in the past year has proven ineffective. Security apparatus have not been able to quell armed groups from disrupting the peace. Meanwhile, the number of civilian victims continues to climb.

Dr Mark Busse and Sophie Faber – West Papua has been in the media more than usual over the last six months, with stories about indigenous protests against racism and repression, demands for independence, brutal Indonesian police and military crackdowns, and the banning of foreign journalists.

Evarukdijati and Genta Tenri Mawan, Jayapura, Papua – A joint task force of Papua Police and military launched a manhunt for an armed Papuan group at the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border, Keerom District, Papua Province, Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Pol. Paulus Waterpauw stated.

Antara, Jakarta – The Papua Police recorded that, during 2019, there were 23 shooting incidents involving the armed Papuan groups that claimed the lives of 10 members of the Indonesian police and military, and 10 civilians, a police officer revealed.

Hendartyo Hanggi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military or TNI and PT Freeport Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the security of the mining giant in Timika, Papua.

The tie was signed by Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and the corporate CEO Clayton Allen Wenas at the TNI Headquarters, Cilangkap, East Jakarta, Thursday, December 26.

Nur Yasmin, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud M.D. accused a Papuan district official of engaging "political maneuver" by publicly declaring resignation and fabricating story about a fatal shooting.

Nic Maclellan – Yudha Korwa was just 17 years old when he was attacked by Indonesian soldiers during the Biak massacre on 6 July 1998.

Twenty-nineteen has been the worst year on record for the people of West Papua. They cannot enjoy their Christmas this year. They are facing military operations in every corner of every village in West Papua, from Nduga to Puncak Jaya to Intan Jaya.

Gunmen opened fire on a small commercial plane as it landed in Indonesia's Papua on Saturday.

Reports from one of the pilots quoted by The Star say there were no reports of casualties among the nine passengers on the plane.

The attack happened in the hilly district of Puncak, a stronghold of separatists who have been battling Indonesian since the 1960s.

Ben Bohane – For decades, Papua New Guinean troops say they have watched as Indonesian forces violated PNG sovereignty "up to a dozen times per year".

At times the TNI (Indonesian armed forces) crossed the border between Indonesian Papua and PNG to hunt animals. Sometimes they entered to intimidate refugees living along the border.

Jakarta – Five Papuan pro-independence students and a rights activist went on trial Thursday on charges of treason after waving morning star flags that are a separatist symbol during a peaceful protest in front of Indonesia's presidential palace.

Jakarta – Surya Anta and five other Papua activists heard the formal charges against them during the first hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday December 19. Following their arraignment, Anta and the other defendants presented emotional speeches to the court.

Erwin Renaldi and Tasha Wibawa – The West Papuan Morning Star flag has been a point of contention across Indonesia for decades. For many West Papuans, it represents freedoms that have been taken away.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – Members of militant group Jemaah Ansharut Daulah have tried to go into hiding in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, police said on Thursday following the arrests of eight suspected militants there.

Antara, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I member, Sukamta, officially requests the central government to eradicate armed groups in Papua following a shootout that broke between armed forces (TNI) army with a Papuan armed group on Tuesday, December 17.

Jakarta – Indonesia's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a Polish tourist who was convicted of treason after meeting with Papuan independence supporters and instead increased his prison term, a lawyer says.

Jakub Skrzypski was arrested in August last year in Wamena in easternmost Papua province and was accused of plotting against the Indonesian state.

Jakarta – The public prosecutor charged six Papua activists, Surya Anta, Charles Kossay, Dano Tabuni, Isay Wenda, Ambrosius Mulait and Arina Elopere with makar and criminal conspiracy during their formal arraignment at the first hearing at Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday December 19.

Jakarta – An Indonesian prosecutor charged five men and a woman with treason on Thursday, accusing them of organizing a protest in Jakarta demanding independence for the easternmost province of Papua.

The peaceful protest of about 100 people had been held outside the presidential palace and military headquarters on Aug. 28 and followed a period of unrest in Papua.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Two military officers and a policeman have been killed during recent clashes in Papua, sparking fear among residents of the predominantly Christian region with the conflicts breaking out just one week prior to Christmas day.

Indonesia's Supreme Court has increased the jail term for a Polish man convicted of treason over his alleged links to separatist fighters in restive Papua, raising the sentence to seven years from five, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – Two soldiers from the Indonesian Military, or TNI, were killed in a gunfight with an armed criminal group in Sugapa in Papua's Intan Jaya district on Tuesday, a statement from the TNI said on Wednesday.

Two Indonesian soldiers have been shot dead in Indonesia's eastern-most province of Papua, ambushed by separatist rebels while transporting goods to a village in a remote area.

Papua has suffered a simmering conflict for decades, led by a mostly poorly armed and fractured separatist movement.

Jakarta – Five of the Papua activists taking part in the first court hearing in a treason case at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday December 16 wore traditional kari-kari headdresses from the eastern most part of Indonesia.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD says that Indonesia is entitled to take any and all measures to hold on to Papua.

He said this in relation to demands for a referendum on self-determination for Papua in the name of international law.