Jakarta, Indonesia – Indonesian police have detained dozens of people ahead of a West Papua independence protest on Monday.
At least 200 people were arrested in several cities in Papua and Java, said Veronica Koman, a lawyer for Papuan independence activist Filep Karma.
Six members of the KNPB were arrested in Nabire on Friday the 16 December.
Four members were arrested at the Police station when they went to inform the police of a planned peaceful demonstration to be held on the 19 December. Two other members were arrested when the security forces raided the home of resident Zadrak Kudiai.
Eddie Osifelo – Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has include Micronesia, Polynesia, and African countries to fight against human rights violations in West Papua.
Fergus Jensen, Jakarta – Chappy Hakim, a retired air force chief who says he knows next to nothing about mining, now heads Indonesia's biggest copper producer, entrusted to use his connections to guide it through regulatory uncertainty to a renewed contract for its mine.
Jakarta – Indonesian ambassador-designate to New Zealand, Tantowi Yahya, has made it his mission to inform the people of the South Pacific nation about the improved conditions in Papua and West Papua once he has been cleared to commence his duties in Wellington next year.
Just five months before Indonesia is set to host UNESCO's 2017 celebration of World Press Freedom Day, its government still has not met a regional human rights watchdog's demands to address press freedom violations in the country's restive West Papua province.
A conference of indigenous Papuans affected by the forestry, plantation and mining industries was held in Sorong on 2nd and 3rd December 2014, a follow-up to a similar conference held in Waena, Jayapura in 2014. This is the joint statement agreed by participants in that meeting.
Joint Declaration
Last weekend at least six thousand West Papuans demonstrated in the town of Wamena to mark Human Rights Day.
It was the latest in a series of large demonstrations by Papuans in the Indonesian province who want a referendum about self-determination.
Police arrested nine Papuans at another demonstration in the capital of West Papua province, Manokwari.
Colette Davidson – When journalist and media activist Victor Mambour wants information from inside Papua, Indonesia, he knows how to get it – he has to ask someone who isn't Papuan.
"I'm Papuan so when something happens, I ask the police about it but they don't give me an answer," says Mambour. "My friend, who isn't Papuan, can ask the same thing and get an answer."
About a dozen West Papuan activists were arrested and released twice within two days in the capital of Indonesia's Papua province.
On Friday, 17 members of the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, were arrested in Jayapura for writing "Free West Papua" graffiti on walls. They were released after being interrogated by police.
Papua New Guinea's opposition leader says his country and Australia need to play a greater role in responding to human rights abuses in neighbouring West Papua.
Don Polye said basic human rights of West Papuans continue to be repressed by Indonesian authorities and security forces, requiring a more "honest" approach from neighbouring countries.
At least 6000 West Papuans are estimated to have demonstrated in the Papuan Highlands town of Wamena to mark Human Rights Day at the weekend.
United Liberation Movement for West Papua leaders have been in New York this week, lobbying at the United Nations about their self-determination struggle in Indonesia.
The Liberation Movement's secretary-general Octo Mote and spokesman Benny Wenda said they have been meeting with officials from several UN departments and various embassies.
Viriya P. Singgih, Jakarta – Gold and copper mining giant Freeport Indonesia has yet to realize its commitment to build a smelter in Indonesia in support of the government's downstream industry push, triggering lawmakers to demand the government cancel the company's export permit.
There have been more mass arrests in Indonesia of those participating in rallies for West Papuan self-determination.
Over two hundred people were arrested in Jakarta last week at a rally to mark the anniversary of the first raising of the banned Papuan nationalist symbol, the Morning Star flag.
Mehulika Sitepu, Indonesia – Police used water cannons to disperse a rally by Papuan near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Thursday December 1.
According to police the protesters did not have a permit to demonstrate although protesters insist that they had already submitted a notification with police in accordance with procedures.
Moses Ompusunggu, Jakarta – Lawyers for protesters attending a West Papua liberation rally in Jakarta on Thursday have accused police officers of beating their clients after a clash broke out between the two sides, leading to the arrest of 10 protesters.
Events held in the cities of West Papua to mark the anniversary of the Papuan nationalist day mainly took the form of prayer events.
Yesterday was the 55th anniversary of a declaration of independence by the indigenous people of the former Dutch New Guinea declared independence.
A former Vanuatu prime minister Barak Sope wants Vanuatu to become a member of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation to counter Indonesia's influence.
Barak Sope said Indonesia is only on the committee to ensure the subject of self determination in West Papua is not discussed.
About 20 academics, librarians, journalists and Pacific issues activists gathered at the Pacific Media Centre at noon today for a Morning Star flag-raising ceremony as part of global actions for West Papuan freedom.
Lice Movono – As futile as it may seem, your voices can make a difference in the Free West Papua movement, a group of young Pacific Island activists told students today.
Speaking at the "Raise The Morning Star" gathering at the University of the South Pacific today, students who make up the Youngsolwara movement called on youths to join them.
We, the undersigned organisations, express our support to the struggle of the people of West Papua for self-determination.
Stephen Wright and Niniek Karmini, Jakarta, Indonesia – West Papuan protesters faced off with police in the Indonesian capital on Thursday in a demonstration calling for the remote region's independence.
Organizers had promised protests in other cities and said police had denied them permission to march in central Jakarta.
Yudhistira Amran Saleh, Jakarta – Hundreds of Papuan demonstrators from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) demanding independence for West Papua have been taken to the Metro Jaya regional police headquarters. The transportation of the activists had to be done in stages because the police did not have enough vehicles to accommodate all of them.
Safrin La Batu, Jakarta – Police apprehended on Thursday several people who were participating in a peaceful rally to demand a referendum for West Papua.
One of the people arrested was the coordinator of the rally, Surya Anta, a lawyer for the rally participants, Veronica Koman, said on Thursday.
Arnold Belau, Jayapura – Indonesian colonial police arrested 221 people on December 1 in three different cities with 203 people arrested in Jakarta, four in Sentani, West Papua and 14 people in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta.
Pita Ligaiula in Nairobi, Kenya – Pacific regional civil society delegates attending the High Level Meeting (HLM2) in Nairobi Thursday commemorated the West Papua flag raising ceremony.
Alin Almanar, Jakarta – A protest in support of Papua's independence in Jakarta on Thursday (01/12) ended up with the police beating up the protesters and drew criticism from fellow Papuans, who called on the demonstrators to heed efforts by the government to speed up development in Indonesia's easternmost province.
New Zealand MPs were among those demonstrating today in cities across the country to raise the West Papuan nationalist flag.
It's 55 years since the Papuan Morning Star flag was first flown officially when the indigenous people of the former Dutch New Guinea declared independence.
Moses Ompusunggu and Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – Amid what has been perceived as government inaction over injustice in Papua, civil society organizations have rallied to support residents in the country's easternmost region to exercise their right to self-determination through a referendum.
An Indonesian group in Jakarta has declared its support for West Papuans to be granted self-determination.
The Indonesian People's Front for West Papua, or FRI West Papua, held an event at the office of the Legal Aid Institute in Indonesia's capital yesterday and expressed solidarity with Papuan independence aspirations.
Greetings of National Liberation of West Papua!
Amolongo, Nimo, Koyao, Koha, Kinaonak, Nare, Yepmum, Dormum, Tabea Mufa, Walak, Foi Moi, Wainambe, Nayaklak
Wa...wa...wa...wa...wa...wa..wa..wa..wa..wa!
"Independence is truly the right of all nations and thus colonialism in the world must be abolished since it contravenes the sense of humanity and justice"
Melki Pangaribuan, Jakarta – Through an unpretentious press conference at the offices of the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) in Jakarta on Thursday November 29, the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-West Papua) declared its support for self-determination for the people of Papua, which they refer to as the West Papuan nation.
Jakarta – Persistent oppression and discrimination as well as cultural and historical differences are sufficient reasons for Papuan people to decide their own fate through a referendum, an alliance has said.
Anne Noonan – It is now 55 years since the Morning Star flag was flown officially in West Papua for the first time on the 1 December 1961.
The West Papuan people continue to raise their flag as an act of celebration but also in protest against the injustices they suffer under Indonesian rule. They can face up to 15 years jail for doing so.
AWPA has written to the Australian Foreign Minister re 1st December in West Papua.
Civil Society groups in West Papua have again called for people to celebrate their national flag day. AWPA is concerned the security forces will crack down on any peaceful rallies called.
The mining giant Freeport has selected a former chief of staff of Indonesia's air force to be chief executive of its Papua-based operations.
A Melanesian Spearhead Group committee is meeting in Port Vila to consider guidelines around membership in the regional organisation.
The Sub-Committee on Legal and Institutional Issues was tasked by MSG leaders at their Honiara summit in July to clarify guidelines for observer, associate and full membership in the group.
Andre Barahamin – After two years as president, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has yet to meet his promises to engage meaningfully with the people of Papua.
A group demonstrating in front of an Indonesian naval ship in Auckland raised the Morning Star flag in support of West Papuans.
Indonesia's KRI Banda Aceh is one of numerous warships from other countries currently in New Zealand participating in the New Zealand Navy's 75th birthday celebration.
More than 100 indigenous activists were arrested by Indonesian police at the weekend in the West Papua city of Sorong.
The police took in 106 activists from the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, for their involvement in an inauguration of its local governing body last week.
Susan Schulman, Kambele, Indonesia – Martina Wanago was sick. In fact, she was sure she would die. She had contracted HIV, which has reached epidemic proportions here in Indonesia's remote and restive province of Papua. And like many of those infected, she didn't know what was wrong with her.
When the oil palm plantation companies first arrive in the villages they promise jobs for indigenous Papuans, an effort to implant dreams of improved economic well-being and higher incomes.
Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura, Papua – The Papua General Elections Commission (KPU) is set to introduce several changes to the noken voting system, which will be used in six of the province's 11 regencies and municipalities during the 2017 simultaneous regional elections.
Church groups around the region are calling for justice on long-standing issues undermining the rights of the region's people.
At a recent gathering in Auckland, the Pacific Conference of Churches' general secretary discussed issues such as West Papua, climate change, the legacy of nuclear testing and the militarisation of the Pacific.Indira Stewart was there.
Transcript
Ben Bilua – The Leader of Free West Papua Movement in Solomon Islands has called on political parties to leave West Papua issue alone.
Speaking to this paper, Mr Samson Faisi said it is disappointing to see a National Leader use West Papua as a reason to topple Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.
Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The taskforce on human rights in Papua has made slow progress in resolving alleged abuses in Papua and West Papua provinces, largely as a result of the Attorney General's Office (AGO), which has persistently disagreed with the approach of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).
Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-144-2016
Dear Friends,
The Parliamentary Opposition Group has urged the Prime Minister and his Government to reassess its approach on the issue of West Papua with Indonesia.
In a statement today, the Opposition Group says the stern warning by the Indonesian Foreign Minister conveyed to his Australian counterpart must not be taken lightly by the Government.
Elaine Pearson – As Indonesia's president, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, touches down in Australia for the first time since assuming the presidency, will human rights feature at all in the talks?