The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has cautiously welcomed news that Australia's Foreign Minister is to visit Indonesian-ruled Papua region this year.
Julie Bishop gave an undertaking to visit later this year, during talks in Jakarta this week with Indonesia's government which has been touting a policy of openness about Papua.
Viriya P. Singgih, Jakarta – The cases against gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (FI) are piling as the national rights body has stated that the firm has violated the rights of indigenous people during its 50-year operation in Papua.
Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura, Papua – The prolonged contractual dispute between the government and PT Freeport Indonesia, which has prompted the giant miner to temporarily suspend production, has resulted in weakening economic growth in Papua, especially in the mining sector.
Safrin La Batu, Jakarta – Because it is all about the world's largest gold mine sitting on their land for 44 years, Papuans refuse to be left out from the ongoing saga involving the government and United States-based mining company Freeport McMoRan.
Indonesia's scathing attack on Vanuatu at the 34th UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session is an attempt to divert the international community's attention away from the ongoing human rights violations taking place in West Papua.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull heads off to Indonesia to attend the Indian Ocean Rim Association leadership summit in Jakarta (5-7 March).
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is celebrating its 20th Anniversary and Indonesia is the current Chair. The theme of the Summit is "Strengthening Maritime Cooperation for a Peaceful, Stable, and Prosperous Indian Ocean".
There is rising concern among business sources in Jakarta that tension between the Indonesian government and the US-based mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, Indonesia's oldest foreign investor, which has been in a months-long deadlock over future mining, could affect relations between Washington and Jakarta.
Ade Irmansyah, Jakarta – The Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI West Papua) are supporting efforts by seven Pacific countries to take the Papuan problem before the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Protesters from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and religious pupils from an Islamic boarding school (pesantren) faced off against each other at the Malan city hall in East Java. Both groups held the protests under tight police security.
A church-backed coalition has called on Indonesia to open greater access to West Papua for international journalists, independent observers, human rights organizations and the International Red Cross.
The call came at an international consultation hosted by the World Council of Churches with the International Coalition on Papua in Geneva.
Vanuatu has addressed a high level United Nations meeting over Pacific regional concerns about human rights abuses in Indonesia's Papua region, or West Papua.
The 34th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, was told that Indonesia has not curtailed or halted various widespread violations.
Jakarta – An official has said the Indonesian government has enough funding to buy shares in copper and gold miner PT Freeport Indonesia as it has started to prepare a holding company to manage the mining site in Papua.
A coalition of activists and church groups have called on Indonesia to end the widespread, yet little known violence and oppression in West Papua and to allow international journalists, observers, human rights groups and aid organizations in the country.
Jakarta – Mimika Regent Eltinus Omaleng has urged PT Freeport Indonesia to develop a smelter in the Papuan regency rather than constructing the facility outside of Papua.
John McBeth, Jakarta – American mining giant Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc has shut down production, retrenched 1,400 workers at its high-altitude Grasberg mine and put thousands on furlough as it faces the prospect of an uncertain future in a climatic stand-off with the Indonesian government.
Jakarta – Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has said local administrations in Papua will get shares from PT Freeport Indonesia when the company divests its 51 percent shares, as required by a new regulation.
A Papua New Guinea man says he and several countrymen were subject to unfair incarceration in West Papua by Indonesian authorities.
The incident occurred early last year when a small group from PNG's Western Province travelled by boat to the Indonesian port of Merauke to sell traditional items to a local buyer.
Jakarta – The Indonesian government is now preparing state-owned aluminum producer PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) to manage a gold and copper mining site in Papua if the government can finally take over the mining site from PT Freeport Indonesia.
Krithika Varagur, Jakarta – The American mining company Freeport-McMoRan has brought the world's biggest gold mine, in the Indonesian province of West Papua, to a standstill.
Timika, Papua – The Mimika Resort Police and other security officers are taking necessary steps to anticipate possible unrest as a result of massive layoffs of workers at PT Freeport and its affiliated privatization and contractor companies.
Artika Rachmi Farmita, Surabaya – Hundreds of students of graduate and doctorate programs at the Airlangga University in Surabaya declared their supports for the government in addressing the issue with PT Freeport Indonesia.
Vincent Lingga Vincent Lingga, Jakarta – "PT Freeport Indonesia [FI] reserves of all its rights [...] including the right to commence arbitration to enforce all provisions of the contract," Freeport-McMoRan's CEO Richard C. Adkerson asserted on Monday, referring to a protracted dispute with the Indonesian government.
A West Papuan English teacher, who escaped persecution to an Australian island in the Torres Strait, claims he was deported to Papua New Guinea's capital, Port Moresby.
The man, who wants to keep his identity a secret, said he fled the West Papuan regency of Merauke, where he was trying to help a group of Papua New Guineans detained by Indonesian police.
Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has warned gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia that if it ceased production its share prices would be sharply affected.
"Freeport is a public company. If it stops production, its shares will fall," said Sri Mulyani in Jakarta on Wednesday as reported by kontan.co, adding that there would be no winner in the dispute.
Katharina R. Lestari, Jakarta – Human rights violations in Papua more than tripled last year, undermining Indonesian President Joko Widodo's post election pledge to solve longstanding grievances in the restive region, church and rights activists said.
Jakarta – Richard C. Adkerson, the president and CEO of Freeport-McMoRan, has said his company will give the Indonesian government four months to negotiate a new settlement with the company in relation to a dispute over Freeport's contract to operate the Grasberg mine in Papua.
More than 1000 West Papuan refugees from Indonesia living in Papua New Guinea's Western Province will be granted citizenship.
The Post Courier reported that the immigration minister, Rimbink Pato, was due to make an official announcement soon.
Timika. More than 20 foreign workers of Freeport Indonesia's contractors have left the mining site in Timika, Mimika, Papua, following restrictions on copper concentrate exports introduced in January.
Jakarta (Pantau Foundation/Asia Pacific Report/Pacific Media Watch) – A new award has been created for courage in journalism honouring West Papuan editor Oktovianus Pogau who died last year. The inaugural award has been made to freelance reporter Febriana Firdaus, who has extensively covered human rights abuses in Indonesia, says the Pantau Foundation.
Jakarta – PT Freeport Indonesia announced on Saturday the immediate resignation of Chappy Hakim as its president director, only three months after his appointment as the mining giant's top executive.
Nethy Dharma Somba, Dogiyai, Papua – While voters across the archipelago went to polling stations to cast their votes in the simultaneous regional elections on Wednesday, it was a different scene in Dogiyai regency, Papua.
Polling stations (TPS) set up in some areas appeared empty. No residents were spotted queuing at TPS, and only a few officials were seen.
Fergus Jensen, Jakarta – All work has stopped at Freeport-McMoRan Inc's giant copper mine in Indonesia, a worker union said on Thursday, just over a month after the country halted exports of copper concentrate to boost domestic industries.
Jakarta – The government has ignored a threat from gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia, the country's biggest taxpayer and major employer, to lay off its workers if an agreement with the government failed to be reached.
"If it is part of pressure, just ignore it," said Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution, as reported by tribunnews.com on Wednesday.
The Pacific Freedom Forum says Indonesia is yet to deliver on its promise of full and free access for journalists to West Papua just months out from Jakarta hosting World Press Freedom day.
Indonesia opened access to West Papua for foreign journalists in 2015, more than 50 years after annexing the territory from the Netherlands.
Tara Nissl – Eight journalists from eight Indonesian media outlets traveled to West Papua last week to investigate media freedom and the safety of journalists in the region, after an international delegation called on Indonesia to address press freedom violations in 2015.
Jakarta – Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono says the government has invested Rp 7.6 trillion (US$371 million) to develop infrastructure and housing in Papua and West Papua, including roads to improve access to isolated areas.
A Pacific Islands Forum team is to join monitors of the Indonesian regional elections which start tomorrow. The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor says West Papua is a sensitive issue.
The names of four political activists charged by Indonesia with treason in West Papua have been released by the human rights advocacy group Amnesty International.
Viriya P. Singgih and Grace D. Amianti, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has approved the conversion of the contracts of gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia and copper producer PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara, allowing them to continue exports of their partly processed minerals.
Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Security authorities in Papua are on alert in four out of 11 regencies and municipalities set to hold elections on Feb. 15. They comprise Lanny Jaya, Nduga, Puncak Jaya and Tolikara.
With the presence of armed groups, security forces are working to ensure the elections in the four regencies run peacefully.
Friski Riana, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has unveiled a representative office in Manokwari, West Papua. Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Piagi said that the commission agreed to representative office establishment in a plenary meeting on February 8.
Sandy Greenberg – The Indonesian occupation of West Papua has been described as a "neglected genocide", a crime against humanity being committed on a multi-generational scale, but overlooked by international observers as a matter of course.
Four Papuan political activists have been detained since 19 December 2016 in Manado, North Sulawesi Province for "rebellion" (makar). Detained solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, the men are considered prisoners of conscience.
Fedina S. Sundaryani, Jakarta – The government seems set to ignore threats by United States mining giant Freeport-McMoran Inc to cut production at its Papuan mine and slash its local workforce if it does not receive a permit to continue exporting copper concentrates by the middle of the month.
Jayapura, Jubi – In addition to the issue of freedom of the press is still cause for concern in Papua, Papuan women journalists face other problems that are not less alarming. Sexual harassment often override these women journalists after reporting.
Attorney-General George Brandis, Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Dan Tehan, will meet with Indonesia's top security minister Wiranto and other Indonesian Ministers today in Jakarta for the third Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) on Law and Security.
Jakarta – Australian authorities finally captured on Monday a man for trespassing on protected Indonesian property after almost a month of pursuit and multiple warnings from Indonesia.
Jewel Topsfield – A 42-year-old protester has been charged with trespassing on the Indonesian consulate-general in Melbourne after an incident which came at a time of renewed tensions in the bilateral relationship.
Unless the role and power of security forces is limited in Indonesia's troubled Papua region, more young locals will end up dead and cases like the Paniai killings will remain unsolved, writes Andre Barahamin.
On 8 December 2014, five local teenagers were gunned down in Enarotali, a town in the Paniai regency of Indonesia Papua.
Strong distrust remains among the indigenous Papuans of Indonesia's Merauke regency about a major "food estate" project.