Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Jakarta – Military observer and lecturer at the Brawijaya University Faculty of Law, Al Araf, believes that the formation of new Conflict Area Support (PDR) infantry battalions (Yonif) in five regions of Papua reflects the government's position of considering Papua a conflict prone region.

Jakarta – Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) General Agus Subiyanto on Wednesday inaugurated five infantry battalions (Yonif) to support the government's food resilience program in Papua region.

Stephen Wright, Bangkok, Thailand – Indonesia's military is taking a leading role in plans to convert more than 2 million hectares of wetlands and savannah into rice farms and sugarcane plantations in a part of the conflict-prone Papua region that conservationists say is an environmental treasure.

Jakarta – Although it took 19 months, the release of hostage Phillip Mark Mehrtens is an important lesson for the new administration regarding how to respond to the conflict in Papua.

Pes Yanengga, Jayapura – On Monday September 30 Papuan Student Solidarity held a protest action on Jalan Kamwolker in Jayapura, Papua, in which they expressed their rejection of the 1962 Rome Agreement.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 29 September 2024, the five students Mr Josan, Mr Ando, Mr Joshua, Mr Cela, and Mr Emigay, all members of the 'West Papuan Student Solidarity', were intimidated after registering a peaceful assembly to commemorate the Rome Agreement of 30 September 1962 in Nabire, Papua Tengah Province.

Indonesia, West Papua – Police officers arrested two indigenous Papuans, Mr Ripe Kerebea and Mr Eli Koranue, in the town of Kenyam, Nduga Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, on 17 August 2024.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 3 August 2024, members of the Sentani Regional KNPB (West Papua National Committee) and local community groups were forcibly dispersed by members of the Jayapura District Police in Sentani Town, Jayapura Regency, Papua province.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 13 August 2024, Indonesian military forces reportedly raided the Silatuga Village of Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, searching residential houses in the area. According to information received from local human rights defenders, military members released bazookas in Silatuga.

Jakarta – After holding Susi Air pilot Phillips Mehrtens captive in the jungle for 594 days and keeping his family in the dark regarding his safety, the armed Papuan rebels eventually released the New Zealand national on Sept. 21, and instead of showing remorse, acted as if they were his saviors.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 14 September 2024, members of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) arbitrarily detained two Papuans at a military post in Mamba Village, Sugapa District, in the Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Tengah Province.

Raden Putri, Avit Hidayat, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is developing a new food estate program in Merauke, South Papua. This mega project, listed as a national strategic project (PSN), encompasses a vast area of 2.29 million hectares, seventy times the size of Jakarta.

Ririe Ranggasari, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military's TNI headquarters has confirmed that it will not withdraw or increase its troop presence in Papua despite the completion of an operation to free Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens from hostage.

New video footage has been released of a peaceful hand-over ceremony of Kiwi pilot Phillip Mehrtens' release in West Papua.

The footage, sent to RNZ Pacific by a member of the West Papua Council of Churches, shows a formal ceremony followed by Mehrtens shaking hands with a number of locals before entering a helicopter and being flown away.

Indonesia, West Papua – A new report has revealed the devastating impacts of palm oil investment in Papua, Indonesia, on both the environment and indigenous communities. The study, conducted by researcher Wiko Saputra, found that while the economic benefits of the industry are limited, the environmental and social costs are significant.

Jakarta – Jakarta and Wellington denied Monday a claim by rebels in Indonesia's restive region of Papua that a New Zealand pilot was freed from captivity over the weekend after they received payment from a local leader.

Phillip Mehrtens, 38, was released on Saturday by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) insurgent group after 19 months in captivity.

Caleb Fotheringham – The Foreign Minister has called claims a Papua New Guinea politician paid a bribe ahead of the release of kidnapped New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens "a disgrace".

Eva Corlett in Wellington – On 7 February 2023, Phillip Mehrtens' life took an unexpected and harrowing turn.

The family of freed New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens say they are "extremely grateful and relieved" he has been released and will soon be reunited with them.

Local police announced on Saturday the New Zealand pilot had been freed after more than one and a half years in captivity in West Papua, Indonesia.

Pizaro Gozali Idrus and Victor Mambor – Jakarta and Wellington on Monday denied claims by a Papuan rebel spokesman that Indonesian authorities had paid a guerrilla commander to free a New Zealand pilot from 19 months of captivity.

Singgih Wiryono, Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – A split has occurred within the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) after Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens was released on Saturday September 21.

Singgih Wiryono, Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) spokesperson Sebby Sambom has denied claims by the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Indonesian Police (Polri) that the release of Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens was a result of their efforts.

Wellington, New Zealand – The family of a kidnapped New Zealand pilot on Sunday thanked the Indonesian rebels who released him for taking care of him during more than a year and a half in captivity.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Susi Air pilot of New Zealand nationality, Philip Mark Mehrtens, has been released by Indonesia's TNI-Polri security forces from the captivity of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) led by Egianus Kogoya in Nduga on Saturday, September 21, 2024, after being held captive for approximately 20 months.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Susi Air Pilot, Philip Mark Mehrtens was freed from the armed group Free Papua Movement (OPM) led by Egianus Kogoya in Nduga on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Hadi Tjahjanto stated that security forces only used persuasive approaches in the release.

Duncan Graham – Fresh from its latest failure to protect Palestine in the UN, the Australian government also handles brittle Indonesia tenderly lest it snaps off trade and security deals with its spacious but under-occupied neighbour.

Graham Readfearn and agencies – New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens has been freed after more than one-and-a-half years in captivity in Indonesia's West Papua region, Indonesian police have said.

Graham Readfearn and agencies – New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens said he was looking forward to being reunited with his family after being freed after more than one-and-a-half years in captivity in Indonesia's West Papua region.

His release follows an offer of terms made this week by rebels in the region.

Jakarta – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) attributed the release of New Zealand pilot Mark Mehrtens from the Free Papua Movement's (OPM's) captivity to the government's perseverance in seeking peaceful resolutions.

The Susi Air pilot was freed from the Egianus Kogoya-led armed separatist group after being held captive for about a year and a half.

Fika Nurul Ulya, Diamanty Meiliana, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has stressed that all activities in Papua must be accompanied by security forces both from the TNI (Indonesian Military) and Polri (National Police).

Surprising news came from Ndugama today when it was reported that New Zealand pilot Philips Mark Mehrtens was released by West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) commander Egianus Kogoya and his troops on Saturday September 21.

Responding to the release of New Zealand pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens after more than 19 months held in captivity led by a pro-independence group in the Papua region, the executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, said:

Racism, torture and arbitrary arrests are some examples of discrimination indigenous Papuans have dealt with over the last 60 years from Indonesia, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Head of the Indonesian Military Information Center (Kapuspen TNI), Major General Hariyanto, denied claims made by the Free Papua Movement (OPM) regarding a military-police operation to free Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens. He asserted that no deployment of troops or special operations has been undertaken for this mission.

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta, Indonesia – Separatist rebels in Indonesia's restive Papua region warned Friday that increased Indonesian military attacks in recent days to rescue a New Zealand pilot who was taken hostage over a year ago could instead threaten his safety.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 14 August 2024, members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in the Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, experienced acts of intimidation and unauthorised search by members of the 1715 Kodim (military district command) and Brimob (mobile brigade corps).

Indonesia, West Papua – As of September 2024, more than 79,867 people in West Papua remain internally displaced as a result of armed conflict between Indonesian security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).

Tria Dianti and Victor Mambor in Jakarta and Jayapura, Indonesia – An international human rights watchdog has detailed what it calls entrenched racism and systemic discrimination against the indigenous ethnic Melanesian people in Indonesia's Papua region in a new report released on Thursday.

Nineteen-year-old Alfa Hisage was arrested on August 30, 2019, for joining a student-led protest against anti-Papuan racism in Jayapura, a city in the Indonesian territory of West Papua. He told Human Rights Watch that at the police station, officers beat and racially abused him, particularly for his dreadlocks. "They pushed my head on the table," he said.

A rebel group in Indonesia's conflict-hit West Papua has proposed terms for the release of a New Zealand pilot held hostage for a year and seven months while appealing to all parties to support the "humanitarian mission."

Jakarta – The Indonesian government's suppression of widespread protests after a 2019 attack on Papuan university students highlighted longstanding racial discrimination against Indigenous Papuans in Indonesia, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

Jakarta – An armed rebel group in the easternmost region of Papua released a proposal on Tuesday to free New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens, who they kidnapped more than a year ago.

Jordyn Beazley – Rebels in Indonesia's West Papua region have proposed terms for the release of the New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens a year and seven months after he was detained.

Laurens Ikinia, Jakarta – The Land of Papua is widely known as a land full of milk and honey. It is a name widely known in Indonesia that refers to the western half of the island of New Guinea.

Its natural wealth and beauty are special treasures entrusted by the Creator to the Papuan people who are of Melanesian ethnicity.

Indonesia, West Papua – The Indonesian government's ambitious plan to create a one-million-hectare rice field in the Merauke Regency, Papua Selatan Province, is moving forward without proper consultation with indigenous communities and despite significant environmental risks.

West Papuan independence advocate Octo Mote is in Aotearoa to win support for independence for West Papua, which has been ruled by Indonesia for over 60 years.

Mote is the vice-president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), and is being hosted in New Zealand by the Green Party, which Mote said had always been a hero for West Papua.

Alakihihifo Vailala – Octovianus Mote was a child when Indonesian troops occupied his homeland, sparking the beginning of his lifelong fight for the independence of West Papua New Guinea.

Mote is now the vice president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and hasn't been back home in over two decades, after fleeing the country due to his line of work.

Kiki Siregar, Keerom, Papua – Playing together at home with his two cousins of roughly the same age, four-year-old Berto stands out.

Antara, Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) claims to have shot dead a police officer and another person in Lanny Jaya, Papua Pegunungan Province. TPNPB-OPM spokesman Sebby Sambom said Brigadier Johan Herik Sibarani, 32, was killed in the shooting. The shooting also injured a civilian, Adi Fallo, 20, who was taken to the hospital.

Jayapura – The arrival of Pope Francis in Dili, the capital of East Timor, on the afternoon of Monday September 9, was welcomed by the Catholic community. The flag of the struggle of the West Papuan nation, the Morning Star flag, was also flown in Dili.

The Morning Star flag was raised by a West Papuan solidarity group in East Timor.