Toronto/Jakarta – A trade union said on Wednesday (03/08) that it will press Indonesia's government to reinstate thousands of striking workers at Freeport-McMoRan's Grasberg mine when union officials visit the Southeast Asian country next week.

Jayapura – Papuan students from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the solidarity group the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) have held protests against the 1969 UN sponsored referendum on West Papua's integration with Indonesia (Pepera), which took place on July 14-August 2, 1969.

Febriana Firdaus/Enarotali and Jayapura, Papua – When Bardina Degei cooks dinner, she doesn't use a stove. She rarely even uses a pot. In her wooden home in Enarotali, the capital of Paniai regency in the restive Indonesian province of Papua, the housewife usually just places a sweet potato – known locally as "nota" – directly into the fireplace.

Helen Davidson – Indonesian paramilitary police have shot and killed one person and wounded a number of others at a protest in a West Papuan village, according to human rights groups and local witnesses.

A 28-year-old man was reportedly killed during the incident in Deiya regency on Tuesday afternoon, and up to seven wounded, including at least two children.

A parliamentary committee in New Zealand has turned down a call to push for a UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression to visit West Papua.

A human rights petition, organised by West Papua Action Auckland and supported by other human rights groups and Catholic and Anglican church leaders, had sought for New Zealand to condemn the arrest and intimidation of peaceful protestors.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jakarta – A recent shooting incident in Bomou village, Tigi district, Deiyai, Papua, that claimed the life of civilian Yulius Pigai, 28, has attracted the attention of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), which has promised to monitor the legal process of the case.

A relative of villagers in Indonesia's Papua region caught up in a fatal police shooting says they're calling for the police to take responsibility for the incident.

Reports from West Papua say one man is dead and up to 16 people have been injured in a police shooting.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-106-2017

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Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar, Bali – Around 30 students of the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) Bali held a rally on Wednesday to demand West Papuan independence.

They staged the demonstration at a location near the US Consular Agency office in Denpasar, Bali, as the police did not allow them to hold the rally in front of the office as initially planned.

One person has been killed and a dozen others wounded after a clash during local elections in Indonesia's Papua province.

Antara reported the incident started on Saturday morning between supporters of rival candidates in the election for the head of Puncak Jaya district.

Jayapura, Jubi – Obby Kogoya (22) was convicted of violating Article 212 of the Criminal Code with 4 months of confinement and 1 year probation. The Legal Aid Institute (LBH) of Yogyakarta considered that the verdict was not based on the facts at trials because all of prosecution evidence presented by the prosecutor was not proven.

Jonas Cullwick – Last week's 14th Pacific Regional ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Port Vila issued a five-point position of the issue of West Papuan independence.

Jakarta, Jubi – The highest child poverty rates is in the provinces of Papua, West Papua and East Nusa Tenggara, respectively 35.57 percent, 31.03 percent, and 26.42 percent.

While the lowest rates were in the provinces of Bali, DKI Jakarta and South Kalimantan, respectively at 5.39 percent, 5.55 percent, and 6.06 percent.

Jakarta – The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has said that gold and copper mining operator PT Freeport Indonesia had yet to obtain an extension to their operating permit.

Isolated parts of Indonesia's Papua region are to be targetted by accelerated government efforts to improve infrastructure.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, has used a high-level meeting to recommit his administration to the development of airports, ports, roads and bridges in remote Papua.

Nithin Coca – The drama started nearly two years ago, when Setya Novanto, the speaker of the Indonesian Parliament, was forced to resign after being caught trying to extort U.S. mining giant Freeport McMoRan, which was looking to extend its contract in Indonesia. Things heated up again earlier this year, when, alongside nationalist-tinged protests, it looked like Freeport was on its way out.

James Borrowdale – The independence movement is largely ignored by wider – whiter – New Zealand society.

A campaigner for West Papua says the New Zealand government should be speaking out about the treatment of pro-independence demonstrators by Indonesian police.

UCAN – An Indonesian priest in Papua has joined rights activists in filing a judicial review of the country's treason law in the Constitutional Court.

They said the right to freedom of expression is being abused by authorities who slap treason charges against people for simply taking part in peaceful demonstrations.

Yanto Awerkion, a West Papuan local independence leader, remains imprisoned after being arrested the Indonesian security services for collecting signatures on an Avaaz petition calling for a new referendum on independence from Indonesia.

The Indonesia government says claims of mass arrests of West Papuans in the past two weeks are wrong.

Earlier this week the Australia West Papua Association called for Canberra to press Jakarta over the arrests in the city of Nabire of about 150 Papuans, mostly members of the pro-independence West Papua National Committee, or KNPB.

Jakarta – Authorities have charged Papua Governor Lukas Enembe with allegedly persuading residents to vote for one of the candidates in the Tolikara district head election earlier this year, police have said.

Officers have named Lukas a suspect in the case and submitted his case files to prosecutors, Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said on Monday (10/07).

Indonesia says it will invite the head of mining giant Freeport McMoRan Inc to Jakarta this month to try to settle a festering dispute over a new deal to operate the world's second-largest copper mine.

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua legislator criticized a framing made by an online media in Jakarta toward an involvement of Free Papua Organization (OPM) in the riot between supporters of candidates for the head of Puncak Jaya, Papua,).

Jayapura, Jubi – Director of the Papua Policy and Human Rights Advocacy Association (PAK-HAM), Matius Murib, admitted that there is no significant progress of Jakarta-made coordination meeting team founded by Politic and Security Minister last year, which himself is a member, on the settlement of human rights violations in Papua.

The Australia West Papua Association is pushing for action from Canberra over another bout of mass arrests of West Papuans in neighbouring Indonesia.

Around 150 Papuans – mainly members of the pro-independence West Papua National Committee, or KNPB – were arrested between 30 June and 6 July in the city of Nabire.

Hundreds of KNPB activists of the Nabire region were arrested and transported into truck Nabire Police in Bukit Meriam witnessed by a Papuan mama – (Jubi/ist) https://tabloidjubi.com/artikel-7564-tuntut-dua-rekannya-dibebaskan-ratusan-aktivis-knpb-nabire-ditangkap.html

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-072-2017

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Paniai, Jubi – Hundreds of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) activists in Nabire, West Papua, have reportedly being arrested by the Nabire district police and are now being held by the Nabarua sectoral police.

Viriya P. Singgih, Jakarta – Gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia is upbeat that it can settle its disputes with the government over its future operations in Papua before the deadline of Oct. 10.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – A Papuan bishop has warned people that selling their land for money risks not only their future but also their cultural identity.

Bishop John Philip Saklil of Timika in Papua said land is part of the cultural identity of indigenous Papuans and selling it means they are trading off their cultural heritage.

Setiawan Adiwijaya, Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry special staff Hadi M. Djuraid said that the government has yet to make any decision on PT Freeport Indonesia's contract extension.

According to him, a coordinated meeting held yesterday at the Finance Ministry building did not specifically discuss PT Freeport Indonesia contract extension.

Jakarta – Hundreds of members and sympathizers of the Free Papua Organization, or OPM, have declared support for the Indonesian government – a long-awaited move after decades of insurgency and human rights abuses.

Jakarta – Opposing parties of the Puncak Jaya regional elections have agreed to end a conflict in the region, marked by a "breaking arrow" ritual performed by representatives of the three candidates' respective supporters.

Jakarta – The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has sent a warning letter to gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia after it laid off 4,000 employees.

The layoffs took place following a strike by Freeport Indonesia workers belonging to the All-Indonesia Workers Union Confederation (KSPSI) from May 1 to June 16 in Mimika regency, Papua, the site of the gold and copper mine.

Fransiska Nangoy, Jakarta – Thousands of mine workers at the Indonesian unit of Freeport-McMoRan Inc will extend their strike for another month to protest against layoffs, a union official said on Wednesday.

Up to 6,000 workers will remain on strike, Freeport Indonesia union industrial relations officer Tri Puspital told Reuters, putting Freeport's plan to ramp up output at risk.

Wamena, Jubi – A police officer in Wamena, Jayawijaya allegedly mistreated a minor, Friday afternoon, June 16, 2017. As a result the victim named Albert Nawipa (15) had to be treated at Emergency Installation (IGD) RSUD Wamena.

Fardah, Jakarta – Over the past several years, labor strikes have hit PT Freeport Indonesia (FI), but the subsidiary of the US mining giant Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold has managed to find win-win solutions to the problems.

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua House of Representative Commission I in charge of government, politics, law and human rights urged PT Freeport Indonesia to stop the employees' lay off.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-055-2017

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All five bishops serving in Indonesia's Papua and West Papua provinces have come under fire from indigenous Papuan Catholics for "staying silent" over alleged social injustices.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has urged Indonesia's government to put words into action about helping the Pacific with climate change.

Jakarta – The government and Freeport Indonesia are still not in agreement over several aspects of the latter's contract of work (CoW) conversion to a special mining permit (IUPK), an official has said.

Eman Riberu, Merauke – A local government's decision in Papua to pull licenses for a number plantation companies has won overwhelming backing from the Catholic Church and local people, calling the move a victory for the environment.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-052-2017

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Johnny Blades – Even before the Indonesian ambassador took up the position, an interview with him was inevitable.

Tantowi Yahya declared last December that it was his mission to educate New Zealanders about Indonesia's Papua region, or West Papua.

Now, two short months into his posting as Jakarta's man in Wellington, there has been a spike in local activity around West Papua.

Vilimaina Naqelevuki, Suva – Media access to West Papua, where more than half a million of its indigenous people have reportedly been killed over five decades, remains restricted.

Stephen Wright, Jakarta, Indonesia – A major church in Indonesia's predominantly Christian Papua province said a riot in the provincial capital last month was sparked by the military burning Bibles, contradicting the police account of events.

Indonesia's new ambassador to New Zealand says the indigenous population of Papua region is not pushing for independence.

Tantowi Yahya says the push for a referendum is coming from overseas-based elements who do not represent the local populace.