Edo Rusyanto, Jakarta – The Blacksteel Group, a property developer, is developing three malls in Sorong regent, West Papua, at a total investment of Rp 600 billion ($50 million), the company's chief operating officer said in Jakarta recently.

Vanuatu's West Papua Unification Committee has confirmed its conference in Port Vila will now be held from the 4th of December following the National Day and flag raising ceremony on the first.

The Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club is calling on the incoming administration of Joko Widodo to immediately lift all restrictions on foreign journalists travelling to the Papua region.

It says it's concerned by the continued detention without charge of French journalists Valentine Bourrat and Thomas Dandois.

The West Papua conference that was expected to open in Vanuatu next week has been postponed.

The West Papua Reunification Committee's chairman, Pastor Alan Nafuki, says the meeting will now take place from October the 30th.

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – An Indonesian soldier was killed following an armed attack at a market in Puncak Jaya Regency in Papua on Thursday.

Spokesman for the Papua military command Lt. Col. Rikas Hidayatullah told the Jakarta Globe that four members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) were ambushed at a traditional market in Ilaga on Sept. 25.

Auckland (Pacific Media Watch/The Fiji Times) – The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) has called on Prime Minister John Key to pressure Indonesian President Joko Widodo to release two French journalists and a West Papuan indigenous leader from prison.

A Green Party MP has urged the returning government in New Zealand to make good on the recently passed parliament resolution to press for media freedom in West Papua.

Alison Bevege – A face frowned through the glass at a bright banner waving on a fishing rod below the consulate window. 15 years in an Indonesian jail can be the penalty for flying the Morningstar flag, symbol of the West Papuan independence movement. But Jakarta's little patch of Sydney lay 50 cm away, separated from Australian soil by a stern metal fence.

Auckland (Pacific Media Watch) – The New Zealand government and the French Embassy in Wellington were today called on at a vigil to put pressure on Indonesia to free two French journalists and their sources imprisoned in West Papua.

Anna Majavu – The visit by the South African government and 17 unnamed South African companies to Indonesia last week has thrown into stark relief the ANC government's hypocrisy in its international relations with countries that are guilty of human rights abuses.

Jakarta, Indonesia – Theo Hesegem was carrying a foreigner on his motorbike when a pair of police intelligence officers pulled up behind him and ordered him to stop.

Jerry Omona, Jayapura – General Coordinator of the National Army of Free Papuan Organization (OPM) Lambert Pekikir has rejected the change of Special Autonomy Law of 2001 into Special Autonomy Plus. He said that the Special Autonomy Plus, as realized by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) yesterday, is a waste of time.

Nick Miller, Edinburgh – Over a long night, through the wee hours, Scotland will count its referendum votes as an army of scrutineers keep an eye on proceedings.

Some of them are there out of passion, some out of concern, some for loyalty, some for civic duty. But for Benny Wenda it is so he can dream.

Harry Pearl & Banjir Ambarita, Jakarta – An alliance of non-governmental organizations from Indonesia and abroad has addressed the UN Human Rights Council to demand the Indonesian government improve freedom of expression in Papua and West Papua.

Jakarta – Indonesia's Supreme Court has increased the prison sentence handed to a Papua-based police officer found guilty of laundering up to Rp 1.5 trillion ($132 million) in criminal proceeds to 15 years.

Amnesty International says a Papuan human rights lawyer, defending a tribal leader accused of separatist activities by Indonesian authorities, has been attacked. Amnesty says it has concerns for the safety of Anum Siregar

UA: 232/14 Index: ASA 21/027/2014

Papuan human rights lawyer Anum Siregar was attacked by an unknown person in Wamena, Papua province. She is currently defending a tribal leader who is a prisoner of conscience accused of supporting separatist activities. There are concerns for her safety.

West Papuan campaigners, supporters and students gathered in Auckland for a memorial ceremony for the Vanuatu-based exile John Ondawame who died recently in Port Vila.

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – A senior police officer in Papua province has been fired over a personal indiscretion and another for his alleged involvement in a gambling racket, while a third has been linked to a knife attack on a lawyer for a prominent activist.

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – A member of the Free Papua Organization was killed in a firefight with security officers at an airfield in Lanny Jaya district, a military spokesman said on Wednesday.

Over 80 delegates from West Papua and other countries are expected to converge on Port Vila at the start of next month to attend the West Papua Conference.

Michael Bachelard, Jakarta – The families of two French journalists imprisoned indefinitely for reporting in West Papua without a visa have spoken out for the first time to beg the Indonesian government for mercy.

The Pacific Freedom Forum says Indonesia's President-elect Joko Widodo should keep his campaign promise to open up access to West Papua.

The regional media organisation has criticised Indonesian authorities for doing nothing to countermand the arrests of two French journalists in Papua province.

ALRC-COS-27-15-2014
Speaker: Mr. Budi Tjahjono
HRC section: Item 3, General Debate

A Joint Oral Statement to the 27th Session of the UN Human Rights Council from 23 NGOs.

Mr. President,

Marie Dhumieres – Jakarta, Indonesia – "It's safe here in Papua. There is nothing to hide."

That's what Indonesian President-elect Joko Widodo said when asked on the campaign trail whether foreign journalists would be allowed into West Papua. "Why not?" he said.

The body of one of West Papua's most prominent freedom fighters, John Ondawame, was buried in Port Vila Thursday afternoon. Dr Ondawame, who has been living in Vanuatu, died last week.

Jayapura, Papua – The immigration office in Jayapura, Papua, is continuing to work on the legal process for two French journalists who have been detained for abusing their tourist visas.

Michael Bachelard, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities are seeking the maximum five-year jail sentence for a pair of French journalists arrested last month for working on tourist visas in the province of West Papua.

The call by Indonesia's Immigration Department highlights the country's paranoia about foreign media scrutiny of affairs in the restive province.

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – President-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is being urged to dissolve the current government's Special Unit of Acceleration of Development in Papua and West Papua (UP4B), an institution that activists and analysts have deemed a failure.

The Secretary-General of the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation says the West Papuan cause has lost a good leader, following the death of Dr John Otto Ondawame.

Amnesty International has called on the Indonesian government to stop attacking freedom of expression in Papua.

That comes after a number of arrests of pro-independence activists as well as two French journalists who were making a documentary on the independence movement.

Jakarta – The Press Council urged the government to deport French journalists Thomas Charles Dandois and Louise Marie Valentine Burrot to their home country.

"They did not only misuse their tourist visas, but also contacted a number of sources in Papua," the council chairman Bagir Manan told reporters in a conference in Jakarta on Friday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

Auckland (Pacific Media Watch/West Papua Media Alerts) – Indonesian intelligence officers are targeting West Papuan journalists and independence leaders for "potentially having contact" with two French journalists who were arrested in West Papua almost a month ago, says independent Australian-based agency West Papua Media.

AWPA has written to the Indonesian President concerning the intimidation against human rights lawyer Gustaf Kawer

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of the Republic of Indonesia?
Jl. Veteran No. 16
Jakarta Pusat

3 September 2014

Dear President Yudhoyono,

Asian media organisations have urged the Indonesian government to immediately release two French journalists who have spent a month in jail in Papua.

Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat face up to five years in jail and 42,000 US dollar fines, after being accused of breaching their tourist visas by practising journalism.

Regional rights groups are hoping they can convince Indonesian authorities to free two French journalists in Papua province.

The journalists, who were making a documentary on the West Papuan independence movement, have been in custody for a month on immigration charges. A local leader who had met with them is also being held on charges of rebellion.

Amy McQuire – An alliance of South East Asian journalists have called on the Indonesian government to release two French journalists jailed in the province of Papua, claiming that their continued detention without charge is illegal.

Amy McQuire – A West Papuan pro-independence activist has been found dead less than a week after he went missing in the lead-up to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit to the region.

Jakarta – Immigration officials have extended the detention period of two French journalists accused of violating the terms of their tourist visas by carrying out reporting work in Papua.

Jakarta – Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has demanded an end to what it calls the Indonesian security forces' attacks on freedom of the expression in Papua, following the arrest and torture last month of two students for allegedly painting pro-independence graffiti.

Papua – Two French tourists detained at the Jayapura Immigration Office claim they were simply carrying out their journalistic duties while in Papua.

Further information on UA: 199/14 Index: ASA 21/023/2014 Indonesia Date: 29 August 2014

One of the two Papuan students tortured or otherwise ill-treated by police has been released. The other is still in detention and has been charged for his peaceful political activism in Indonesia's West Papua province.

Index: ASA 21/022/2014

Indonesian authorities must end attacks on freedom of expression in the country's Papuan region, Amnesty International said. Recent attacks highlight the repressive environment faced by political activists and journalists in the area and the ongoing impunity for human rights violations by security forces there.

Amy McQuire – An international human rights group is calling for urgent action after two West Papuan students, one still a child, were allegedly beaten and detained for peaceful protest.

Jayapura – The body of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) leader Marthinus Yohame, buried at the Sorong city cemetery on Aug. 27, reportedly did not undergo an autopsy.

Democratic Labour Party Senator John Madigan has urged the Australian Government to not turn a blind eye to Indonesia's treatment of the indigenous population of Papua province.

Jayapura, Papua – Two tourists from France, who have been detained in Jayapura immigration office, Papua, confessed to have taken coverage while staying in Papua, head of Immigration in Jayapura, Gardu Tampubolon said here on Friday.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Human rights activists called on police on Wednesday to investigate the death of the Sorong Raya West Papua National Committee (KNPB) chairman Marthinus Yohame.

"It's very shocking that the body was found inside a gunny sack floating on the sea," West Papua human rights lawyer Yan Christian Warinussy told The Jakarta Post.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Papua Police are preparing for an autopsy to be carried out to reveal the cause of death of Marthinus Yohame, 27, who was the head of the Sorong Raya chapter of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), whose body was found wrapped in a sack in Nana waters near Port Dom in Sorong, West Papua.

The Australian West Papua Association says Australia's proposed anti-terrorism laws could be applied to activist groups like itself in the future.