Jayapura – Three Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers at Cenderawasih Military Command are on trial charged with providing ammunition to armed civilian groups in remote Papua.

The Indonesian Foreign Minister is visiting New Zealand today and meeting her counterpart Murray McCully, amid calls in Parliament for them to discuss human rights abuses in Papua.

Raras Cahyafitri, Jakarta – Uncertainty over the gas supply for planned industrial development in the eastern part of the country, particularly Papua and West Papua, has hampered the government program aimed at accelerating the realization of investment in the area, says the head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).

The Foreign Ministers of Indonesia and Fiji have agreed to intensify consultations together within the Melanesian Spearhead Group framework.

Indonesia, which has special observer status in the MSG, sent its minister Retno Marsudi to three full member MSG countries, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji late last week.

Johnny Blades reports.

Jakarta – Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi is rushing to put out diplomatic fires across the Pacific with back-to-back visits to neighbors Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Fiji – three members of the intergovernmental organization known as the Melanesian Spearhead Group that have threatened in recent weeks to recognize West Papua as an occupied member state.

Tabita Diela, Jakarta – Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board, or BKPM, has vowed to accelerate land clearing and power generation permits to support nine investment projects worth a combined $1.3 billion in Papua's Special Economic Zones.

A good crowd gathered yesterday at Ratu Sukuna Park to show their support for a 'Free West Papua' campaign.

Human rights, religious and youth organisations were also present at the campaign. The event is in collaboration with the World Social Justice Day, which is commemorated on February 20 annually.

Jakarta – Papuans and human rights advocates are concerned that President Joko Widodo's visits and campaign promises to the province are merely ceremonial rather than indicative of real change for Papua.

More information has emerged that Indonesian police have shot two more West Papuan civilians in the Yapen Island village of Kontiunai, killing one, after the unprovoked killing of another civilian the day before by a Police patrol.

Port Moresby, PNG – Papua New Guinea Enterprises and State Investment Minister Ben Micah has rejected suggestions that the Prime Minister's announcement of a policy shift on West Papua was a knee-jerk announcement.

Jakarta – The government has dropped its demand that Freeport-McMoran Inc build a $1.5 billion copper smelter in Papua province, saying a regionally owned enterprise would take on the project instead, news website Detik.com reported, quoting the mining minister.

Pacific churches have urged Indonesia's President, Joko Widodo, to honour an election promise to address human rights abuses in West Papua.

The moderator of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Reverend Dr Tevita Havea, says despite Mr Widodo's assurances last year, security forces have continued to torture and kill West Papuans.

Manokwari – The newly formed West Papua Police are expected to recruit more Papuans as policemen, as part of empowerment program for Papuans.

Kennial Caroline Laia, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights, or Komnas HAM, is intensifying its investigation of alleged human rights violations in security forces' deadly shooting of unarmed residents, including women and children, in Paniai, Papua.

The Vanuatu government says it is open to dialogue with Indonesia over the West Papua bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua last week submitted its membership application to the MSG Secretariat in Port Vila.

Vanuatu's government has welcomed a call by the Papua New Guinea prime minister that the time has come to speak out against human rights abuses in West Papua.

In his strongest statement yet about West Papua, Peter O'Neill said PNG had a moral obligation to no longer ignore the indigenous people of its neighbouring territory.

The secretary-general of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua has been in Fiji meeting government and parliament figures as well as church leaders.

Octo Mote is seeking Fiji's support for the Movement's bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Fiji's Government and Opposition have indicated their commitment to help West Papua join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

In meetings with activist Octavianus Mote yesterday, Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola and Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa showed willingness to support West Papua's bid.

Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato has reaffirmed his government's support for Indonesian territorial sovereignty in West Papua and Papua provinces.

This comes after the PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill made his strongest statement yet about human rights abuses in Indonesia's eastern region. Mr O'Neill said the time has come to speak out about oppression of West Papuans.

There are signs that Papua New Guinea's government may be backtracking from comments made by the prime minister last week that it is time to speak out about West Papua. This comes as a fresh bid has been lodged for West Papuan membership at the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

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Michael Bachelard – The people of Lolat in the high mountains of West Papua had their first experience of a white man in 1968, and it was a culinary one. When Australian missionary Stanley Dale hiked over the ridge into the nearby Seng Valley, his would-be flock mistook him for a demon.

A prominent Australian human rights lawyer has welcomed a statement of support for West Papuans by Papua New Guinea prime minister Peter O'Neill, saying it has "been a long time coming".

Mr O'Neill said he would speak out on behalf of Melanesians in Indonesian West Papua, saying it was "time for PNG to speak about the oppression of our people there".

Papua New Guinea's prime minister Peter O'Neill has promised to do more to speak out on behalf of Melanesians in Indonesian West Papua. In the past, Port Moresby has stuck firmly to its position that West Papua is an integral part of Indonesia. It's been reluctant to talk about human rights abuses or to speak out on behalf of Melanesian separatists.

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister says the time has come for his government to speak out about oppression of West Papuans in neighbouring Indonesia.

In a departure from his previous deferral to Indonesia on such matters, Peter O'Neill says that PNG cannot keep ignoring abuses by security forces against the indigenous Melanesians of Indonesia's eastern region.

The chairman of the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, says inclusion in the Melanesian Spearhead Group would open up solutions for his people's self-determination struggle.

Victor Yeimo and other representatives of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua have this week submitted their formal membership application to join the MSG.

Jemima Garrett – Papua New Guinea's prime minister Peter O'Neill has promised to do more to speak out on behalf of Melanesians in Indonesian West Papua.

"Sometimes we forget our own families, our own brothers, especially those in West Papua," Mr O'Neill said. "I think, as a country, time has come for us to speak about the oppression of our people there."

Jakarta – The Foreign Ministry will set up a special desk or working group to handle the Papua issue and to improve the country's engagement with its easternmost province.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua says it is vital that West Papuans have full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The ULM was formed late last year at a major summit of West Papuan representative groups hosted by the Vanuatu government.

Jakarta – The Papuan Students Alliance (AMP) in Semarang city urged the Indonesian government under the leadership of Joko Widodo to close a number of national and foreign companies that are suspected to be involved in human rights abuses in Papua.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia's plan to develop a smelter to process mineral ore in Gresik, East Java, has led to a protest being staged by Papuan students in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

United Liberation Movement for West Papua/ULMWP, newly formed West Papuan coordinating body which comprised of three main resistance groups, namely Federal Republic of West Papua, West Papua National Parliament and West Papua National Coalition for Liberation have submitted their application for membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in Port Vila, Vanuatu today.

Ina Parlina and Raras Cahyafitri, Jakarta – The House of Representatives is pushing the government to make copper giant PT Freeport Indonesia establish its smelter in Papua, increasing concerns over whether the company will be able to complete development by 2017 when a full ban on ore exports will be implemented.

Tabita Diela, Jakarta – Four activists from ProDem, an activist group, filed a citizen lawsuit against President Joko Widodo and Freeport Indonesia, the local unit of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, at the Central Jakarta district Court on Monday for allegedly failing to comply with the 2009 Mining Law's requirement on domestic smelting.

Jakarta – Rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should uphold human rights in Papua and bring perpetrators of rights abuses to justice.

Nethy Dharma Somba and Nani Afrida, Jayapura/Jakarta – The Cenderawasih Military Police Command in Papua is currently questioning five Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel from the Cenderawasih Military Command Adjutant General's (Ajendam) unit, allegedly involved in the sale of ammunition to armed civilian groups.

Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said has criticized PT Freeport Indonesia for what he deemed was poor occupational safety at its mining site in Timika, Papua, with the death toll reaching 30 in occupational accidents over the years.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe has told PT Freeport Indonesia to establish its planned smelter in Papua or risk being banished from the country's easternmost province.

Ben Hillier – Simon Degei sat amid the ground cover, a gaping hole in his right shoulder obscured by a bloodied tank-top, and his face covered in dirt. It is difficult to tell from the picture precisely how long he had left. But Degei is looking to the sky and his gaze is distant; these are his last moments.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Three more members of an armed group led by Puron Wenda were arrested at a trade center in Jayapura, Papua, on Wednesday.

The three, identified as Rais Wenda, 27, Albert Jikwa, 29, and Fredi Kagoya, 15, were arrested as they traveled on a minibus in the Papua Trade Center in the city.

The West Papua National Liberation Front will submit its application for West Papua to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group by the end of the next week.

Spokesman Benny Wenda says all the members of the Front representing different political groupings are currently in the Vanuatu capital, Port Vila.

Jakarta – The Papua Police intensively interrogated on Saturday two members of the Puron Wenda-led armed group arrested in Wamena, Papua.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Patrige said in Jayapura on Tuesday that the two, identified as Wayunga and Nesmi Wenda, had been arrested near the Sinakma market in Wamena.

Paul Gregoire – Earlier this month, Indonesian forces reportedly burned down villages and conducted mass arrests across the province of West Papua. VICE spoke to Independence leader Benny Wenda about reports of worsening repression.

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has protested the government's approval of giant miner PT Freeport Indonesia's plans to build a smelter in Gresik, East Java, saying that the smelter should be built in Papua to help development in the eastern region.

The Indonesia researcher for Amnesty International says there is little sign of progress being made in the investigation into five students who were killed by the military in West Papua.

In December, security forces opened fire on about 800 protesters gathered outside a police station in the town. Five people were killed, and at least 17 others – including children – were injured.

Sally Andrews – As one of his first official actions as Indonesia's president-elect, Joko Widodo announced his intention to build a presidential palace in West Papua.

Rangga Prakoso, Jakarta – Papua disapproves of mining giant Freeport Indonesia's plan to build a smelter facility outside Papua, calling the move indicative of the company's lack of good deeds to the nation's easternmost province.

Retno Ayuningtyas, Rangga Prakoso & Kennial Caroline Laia, Jakarta – Freeport Indonesia, a unit of the US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, has given its full commitment to the government to build a copper smelter in East Java as it prepares to spend $15 billion for the expansion of its mining operations in Papua this year, the company's new chief said on Thursday.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Labora Sitorus, a chief brigadier police officer in Raja Ampat, West Papua, has been included on the list of most wanted fugitives in West Papua and a team has been established by the state prosecutor's office in Sorong to hunt him down to serve his 15-year prison sentence.

The international spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua says the group will submit its application to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group in February.

The Australia West Papua Association says there was no improvement in the human rights situation in the region in 2014, despite some governments claiming abuses against Papuans are a thing of the past.

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