Mavuku Tokona – A win for the 'little guys' was marked on the notch of the West Papuan belt as they rallied for a peaceful protest last Friday on the streets, and joined by the young and old advocators of an independent West Papua.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has elected the exiled independence leader Benny Wenda as its new leader.

Mr Wenda effectively replaces Octo Mote who was the general-secretary of the Movement, which is West Papuans' premier organisation for advancing independence from Indonesia.

Jakarta – On Friday (01/12), dozens of demonstrators gathered in Central Jakarta to demand West Papuan independence from Indonesia.

Marchers brought posters and sang traditional West Papuan songs in defiance what the demonstrators see as a foreign occupation of the territory.

The West Papuan Morning Star flag of independence – banned in Indonesia – has been raised on an official local government flagpole in Auckland's Aotea Square as solidarity protests have been held around the Pacific.

Hans Arnold Kapisa, Jakarta – The Domberai chapter of the Papuan Customary Council (DAP) in Manokwari held the celebration of the Papua nation's anniversary on Friday, December 1, 2017. The event was attended by youths, college students, and elderly people.

Ramadhan, Winna Wijaya, Jakarta – On December 1 several groups held protest actions commemorating the declaration of West Papua's independence and the anniversary of the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Jakarta – Hundreds of people from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) gathered on Jl. Pangeran Diponegoro in Central Jakarta on Friday December 1.

Dhio Faiz, Jakarta – A demonstration held in Jakarta this morning by hundreds of students and youths from the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) has ended peacefully.

Fred Osifelo – Solomon Islands Solidarity for West Papua joined other groups in the Pacific and around the globe today in raising the West Papuan flag and advocating for the freedom of people in the Indonesian region.

Representative of the solidarity group in Solomon Islands Lily Chekana said people raise the West Papuan flag, the Morning Star, on this day every year.

Vanuatu's Prime Minister Charlot Salwai will hand over the title to a plot of land with a building on it to the leaders of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua this afternoon.

Demonstrations have been held around the Pacific to mark the anniversary of West Papua's declaration of independence when the Morning Star flag was first raised.

It's 56 years since the Papua nationalist flag was first officially flown in the former Dutch New Guinea, shortly before Indonesia took control of the territory. The Morning Star was subsequently banned.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua says Solomon Islands' support for its cause remains firm despite a change in leadership.

The Movement's secretary general Octo Mote last week travelled to Honiara to meet `the new Solomons prime minister Rick Hou.

Rick Hou replaced Manasseh Sogavare after a vote of no-confidence, although Mr Sogavare is now deputy prime minister.

Bobby Anderson – Since August, numerous civilians and security staff have been killed or wounded in the Tembagapura area in Indonesian Papua, host of Freeport McMoRan's vast Grasberg mining complex.

Members of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua are converging on Vanuatu's capital for their first major summit since the body's inception.

The Movement is to use the Port Vila summit to evaluate its first three years, establish by-laws, elect executive members and discuss future strategy.

Makassar, Jubi – A member of Papua Regional Representative Council (DPD-RI) from Papua, Yanes Murib, accused TNI and Police of making public deceived of the situation in Tembagapura, Timika to all Indonesian people.

Jayapura, Jubi – People's Union Front (FPR) requested for PT Freeport in Tembagapura, Timika to be closed. The request is to restore the rights and sovereignty of the people of Papua and prevent prolonged humanitarian conflict in the land of Papua.

Len Garae – An expected total of 50 West Papuan Leaders from West Papua and beyond and supporters of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association, are going to take part in a walk from Saralana Park to the Malvatumauri National Council of Chiefs Nakamal this morning, to launch the first West Papua Leaders' Summit after the first Committee was elected in 2014.

Thousands of West Papuans have demonstrated in Jayapura, calling for the closure of the massive Freeport gold mine in Mimika regency.

They're also demanding Indonesian security forces withdraw from the area around the mine where a standoff continues with the West Papua National Liberation Army, or TPN.

Wilda Asmarini, Jakarta – The Ministry of State Owned-Enterprises, tipped to oversee an acquisition of a majority stake in the local unit of Freeport-McMoRan, has "no clear structure" yet for the deal, an official said on Friday (24/11).

Pacific Media Watch – The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has condemned a brutal attack against journalist Saldi Hermanto in Timika, Papua, and called for a campaign of letter protests.

Hermanto was attacked by the police after he criticised on Facebook the police handling of security at an entertainment show he attended.

Antara, Jakarta – British Ambassador to Indonesia Moazzam Malik has expressed support to Papua Province to remain within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

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Anton Hermansyah, Puncak Jaya Mulia – Security concerns following the election riots in Tolikara regency, Papua, are hampering deliveries to mountainous areas in the province, the such as Puncak Jaya and Wamena regencies, the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) minister said on Monday.

Rinaldy Sofwan, Jakarta – Philosopher and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Noam Chomsky and a group of international academics are calling on the Indonesian government to withdraw all troops from West Papua following allegations of human rights violations against civilians by security forces in the province.

Jewel Topsfield and Amilia Rosa – The truth is, no one knows. Even the bare facts surrounding his disappearance are murky. According to police in the Indonesian province of Papua, Beanal was shot in the head in the jungle.

Timika, Indonesia – U.S. miner Freeport-McMoRan Inc is evacuating spouses and children of workers from its giant Indonesian copper mine after a string of shootings in the area raised security concerns, company sources said.

Sam Wanda, Fergus Jensen, Jakarta/Timika – Indonesia on Friday began evacuating villages that authorities said had been occupied by armed separatists after a string of shootings near the giant Grasberg copper mine operated by Freeport McMoRan Inc in the eastern province of Papua.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jakarta – A joint team comprising Indonesian Military and National Police personnel Friday gained control of Banti and Kimbeli, two villages in Tembagapura district in Mimika regency, Papua, that were reportedly occupied by armed separatists for the past three weeks.

Tembagapura, Indonesia – Indonesian police said they helped evacuate more than 340 people Friday from villages in easternmost Papua after security forces apparently gained the upper hand in a standoff with separatists. It was unclear if there were any casualties.

Jeffrey Hutton – Oktovianus Warnares gathered with five other men outside a government building on the picturesque island of Biak, just off the coast of the Indonesian province of Papua.

The West Papua National Liberation Army, or TPN, has told villagers in Mimika regency their conflict is not with them but with Indonesian security forces.

West Papuans have long expressed frustration about the environmental destruction caused by the Freeport mine operations in Mimika regency.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura, Papua – A member of the Papua Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob), Brig. Firman, was shot and killed by unidentified assailants in Tembagapura, Papua, on Wednesday.

"Two police officers were shot in a shoot out with a group of armed people," Papua Police spokesman Comr. AM Kamal said on Wednesday.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Unidentified gunmen fired at a patrol car owned by PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) in Tembagapura, Mimika regency, Papua, on Tuesday morning, injuring one employee.

Sam Wanda, Timika – The Indonesian unit of Freeport-McMoRan Inc closed the main access road to its giant copper mine in the eastern province of Papua on Tuesday for the second time in three days after another shooting incident.

Royson Willie – A West Papuan leader in Vanuatu, Mr Andy Ayamiseba, has publicly on his facebook called for armed resistance in West Papua with pictures of armed West Papuans.

His call, made on Sunday, coincidentally comes on the heels of the stand off between West Papuan freedom fighters and Indonesian forces.

Lalu Rahadian, Jakarta – Vertical and horizontal conflicts in Papua province will not be resolved until the Indonesian government provides the Papuan people with an opportunity to determine their future through an international forum.

Jayapura – The Papua provincial government has explicitly refuted a statement by the Papua regional police chief that residents have been taken hostage by an Armed Criminal Group (KKB) in the villages of Banti and Kimbely near the PT Freeport Indonesia mine in Tembagapura district, Mimika regency.

Bambang Hari, Jakarta – An employee at the PT Freeport Indonesia gold-and-copper mine in West Papua, Aser Gobai has refuted information that a PT Freeport worker has been taken hostage by an armed civilian group.

An Indonesian human rights lawyer says there is no hostage crisis in the Mimika regency of Papua province as claimed by police and government officials.

Police said an armed group of the Free Papua Movement had been holding 1300 people hostage in the area near the Grasberg mine operated by multinational Freeport.

Fergus Jensen, Jakarta – The Indonesian unit of Freeport-McMoRan Inc has reopened the main supply route to its huge copper mine in Papua, the company said on Monday, after the road was closed on Sunday following a shooting incident in the area.

Jakarta – Authorities in Indonesia's eastern province of Papua are delivering food and aid to villages where security forces say an armed rebel group has blocked residents' movement, as police and military surround the area, a police official said on Sunday.

Amilia Rosa and Jewel Topsfield, Timika, Papua – A community leader from one of the villages caught up in a conflict inside Papua's giant mining area has insisted that all villagers are safe.

Free Papua Organisation (OPM) spokesperson Sebby Sambon denies that his group has acted in a criminal manner by taking hundreds of local people hostage and raping them. According to Sebby, reports making such claims are just propaganda aimed at damaging the OPM's struggle.

Jakarta – Indonesian security forces in the eastern province of Papua are preparing to storm five villages that they say are being held by an armed rebel group, police officials said on Saturday.

Jakarta – Chairman of the House of Representatives Commission I Abdul Kharis Almasyhari asserted the hostage of 1,300 citizens conducted by armed criminal groups (KKB) in Kimbely Village and Banti Village, Tembagapura District, Mimika Regency, has injured the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

Amilia Rosa and Jewel Topsfield, Timika, Papua – An armed Papuan group has occupied two villages near the massive Grasberg copper-gold mine as tensions escalate in the restive Indonesian province.Police said "armed criminal groups" were terrorising the area used by the mine, which is majority owned by US mining giant Freeport McMoRan.

Jayapura – Mimika District Police Chief Assistance Superintendent Victor Dean Mackbon has denied that residents of the Kimbely and Banti villages are being held hostage by an Armed Criminal Group (KKB).

Fergus Jensen, Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Sam Wanda, Jakarta/Timika, Indonesian – Armed separatists have occupied five villages in Indonesia's Papua province, threatening to disrupt Freeport-McMoRan Inc's giant Grasberg copper mine, which has already been hit this year by labour unrest and a dispute over operating rights.

Jakarta – A group of gunmen has been laying siege to 1,300 residents in Banti and Kimbely, two villages in Timika, Papua, near Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg mine in the past few days, police said on Thursday (09/11).

Aatai John – The ousted Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare defended his strong stance on the plight of the people of West Papua during the motion of no-confidence on Monday which saw him removed from the top political leadership position.