One small yacht, the Pog, has set sail west from Thursday Island towards West Papua. Her crew, a dedicated group of six from Australia, New Zealand, Kenya and West Papua are determined to complete their mission to build global solidarity and highlight the abuses of human rights and land rights carried out under the Indonesian occupation of West Papua.

Today in Papua New Guineas capital, the Melanesian Unified Front for West Papuan Self-Determination, or WUF, is to host a public forum on the West Papuan bid for membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The forum, at the Port Moresby campus of the University of PNG, is jointly arranged by the Universitys West Papuan Students Association.

Public ownership of infrastructure in the eastern part of Indonesia has moved a step forward with agreement by US-owned gold and copper mining company Freeport Indonesia to hand over management of its Mozes Kilangin Airport in Mimika district, Papua province, to the Indonesian government.

Indonesia is being accused of buying the support of Solomon Islands over the prime minister Gordon Darcy Lilo's recent trip to that country.

Mr Lilo has faced strong criticism from civil society groups and others for not giving concrete reasons for the trip, which he says Indonesia has funded, as well for the size of the delegation he took with him.

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has called for engagement with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the way forward for the issue of West Papua.

Anushka Shahjahan – The right to peacefully advocate referendums is a part of freedom of expression and Indonesian authorities must drop charges brought against Papuan activists, Amnesty International demanded on Tuesday.

AI Index: ASA 21/031/2013

[Shirley Shackleton was on board the Lusitania when it sailed to East Timor in 1992 to protest the Indonesian occupation. She offers words of solidarity for the West Papuan Freedom Flotilla.]

Margareth S. Aritonang – The government's ambitious plan to deploy the Indonesian Military (TNI) to build 1,500 kilometer-long roads connecting Papua and West Papua in less than a year could escalate violence in the country's easternmost provinces, which could lead members of the House of Representatives to reject a funding proposal for the massive project.

Banjir Ambarita & Farouk Arnaz, Jayapura/Jakarta – A clash between security personnel and armed separatists in Papua on Saturday led to the death of an Indonesian Military (TNI) soldier.

Joel Magarey – West Papuans who attended a church meeting to pray for Australian activists sailing towards West Papua in a "Freedom Flotilla" have been arrested by Indonesian police, Amnesty International has established.

AWPA has written an open letter to the PIF leaders asking that they discuss the human rights situation in West Papua at the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum in Majuro.

Jayapura – In a recent statement, the Chief of Police of Indonesia, Inspector-Commissioner Muhamad Tito Karnavian said that the ships taking part in the Freedom Flotilla are trying to do something sensational.

Indonesian police in Sorong, West Papua, yesterday arrested four leading Papuan customary leaders for organising a welcome celebration and prayer for the safe arrival of the Aboriginal-led Freedom Flotilla, currently sailing from Australia.

Marni Cordell – A West Papuan political prisoner serving three years in jail for treason was offered a pardon by the Indonesian government if he renounced the struggle for independence.

Marni Cordell – Indonesia officially acquired West Papua in 1969, after a sham ballot on independence in which only a handful of the local population were allowed to vote.

The region, which makes up the western part of the island of New Guinea to Australia's north, was once a Dutch colony, but the Netherlands began to prepare for withdrawal in the 1950s.

As the Freedom Flotilla to West Papua continues its epic journey north towards Indonesian occupied West Papua, solidarity actions were held yesterday in both in West Papua and Melbourne.

Activists in the Indonesian province of West Papua have gathered to show support for the boatload of Australian activists due to arrive there early next month. A crowd gathered in the remote town of Manokwari yesterday to raise the banned Morning Star flag and welcome the activists.

Manokwari – Although controversy is still raging about the Freedom Flotilla which has a number of Papuan activists on board, a group of Papuans who recently proclaimed the establishment of the Federal Republic of the State of West Papua (NRFPB) in Manokwari held a demonstration on 27 August.

This morning the Freedom Flotilla to West People received communications from protest rallies organisers in West Papua yesterday, with reports indicating further celebratory activities are planned today for the coming arrival of the flotilla.

A group of Australian activists say threats of force by Indonesia have not hindered their determination to make it to Papua's shores.

Their three-boat convoy with about 20 activists is planning to reach Merauke in southern Papua in the coming weeks.

A group of Australian activists says it has been granted authority to enter Indonesia's Papua province by local people who have a sovereign right to grant access to their own land.

The Freedom Flotilla, a three-boat convoy of about 20 activists, is planning to reach Merauke in southern Papua in the coming weeks.

Scores of non-violent activists from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) were arrested across Papua over the last two weeks, when Indonesian Police carried out pre-emptive sweeps ahead of a day of mobilisation on August 15, a day intended to celebrate Papuan cultural identity and demand rights to free expression be respected.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Papua General Elections Commission (KPUD) confirmed that 662 legislative candidates will contest 56 seats at the Papua Legislative Council (DPRD) in the elections slated for April 9, 2014.

An activist from the Indonesian province of West Papua says Indonesia is lying and not honouring its promise to the leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

In a risky and symbolic act of defiance, unidentified West Papuan pro-independence activists raised the banned symbol of West Papuan liberation, the Morning Star flag, atop a foggy Mount Syclop, Sentani near Jayapura during the Indonesian Independence day on August 17 this year "as a form of celebration and rejection of the presence of Indonesian Papua, " according to involved activ

Despite claims published by Indonesian website merdeka.com that the Freedom Flotilla is not proceeding, Freedom Flotilla co-founders, Jacob Rumbiak, Uncle Kevin Buzzacott and Izzy Brown today asserted collectively they are, "More determined than ever, to make this historic journey to West Papua".

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-113-2013

Dear friends,

Daniel Drageset, Auckland – Aboriginal elder Kevin Buzzacott, who is on board the West Papua Freedom Flotilla, says media attention is "very important" in order to "expose what's happening" in West Papua.

Jayapura – The second Deputy Chairperson of the MRP, Engelberta has urged leading politicians in Papua to show respect for indigenous Papuans in their ability to become heads of local administrations. She said that this is in line with the spirit of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua (OTSUS).

Jakarta – All police units in Papua have been warned of a possible unauthorized visit by foreign ships carrying activists campaigning for a free Papua.

"All units in coastal areas must be on the lookout for illegal visits by foreign vessels," Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. I Gde Sumerta Jaya said in Jayapura on Friday as quoted by Antara.

Bagus BT Saragih and Nethy Dharma Somba, Jakarta, Jayapura – Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Tuesday he believed authorities in Papua New Guinea (PNG) would take decisive measures against Freedom Flotilla West Papua, a group of pro-West Papuan independence activists from Australia who intend to enter Indonesia via the neighboring nation.

Jakarta – The Australian government does not have the authority to stop its citizen from sailing out of Australian ports as long as it is legal. However Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr confirmed that the Indonesian government has the authority to deal with the matter if the ships enter Indonesia illegally.

Dedicated activists and Indigenous elders of the Freedom Flotilla reaffirmed their commitment to travel to West Papua, and sent messages of inspiration to counter Bob Carr's despondence despite the Foreign Minister this evening stating there will be no consular support if they are arrested.

Last week the Indonesian President made a speech which touched on West Papua, but did not mention peaceful dialogue. Imprisoned West Papuan leader Selpius Bobii responds from Abepura State Prison.

Marni Cordell – The Indonesian government has said it hopes it will not be necessary to use lethal force against a boatload of activists planning to land illegally in Merauke, West Papua, in the coming weeks.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-111-2013

Dear friends,

A group of Australian and West Papuan activists have set sail on a Freedom Flotilla bound for the Indonesian territory of West Papua.

Bagus BT Saragih and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Reports over a plan by West Papuan activists from Australia to illegally sail to Indonesian territory came only a day after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appealed to nations to respect Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua.

Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military has been ordered to be prepared to intercept the journey of two boats carrying pro-West Papua independence activists from Australia, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto said on Sunday.

Benjamin Soloway – A flotilla carrying approximately 50 West Papuan and indigenous Australian protestors bound for the Indonesian territories of West Papua began its journey from Queensland, Australia this weekend. Two boats are currently at sea and a third will leave Australia on August 20.

Peter Alford and Brendan Nicholson – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has appealed to friendly countries to prevent political activity that disrupts good relations as a "freedom flotilla to West Papua" threatens to expose the rawest nerve in the Australia-Indonesia relationship.

Indonesian authorities have warned Australian activists on a "freedom flotilla" to avoid entering West Papua or risk being arrested.

In his Independence Day speech to parliament yesterday, Indonesia's President urged friendly countries to intervene to prevent political activities that could damage diplomatic relations.

Jerry Omona, Jakarta – General Coordinator of the Free Papua Organization (OPM), Lambertus Pekikir on behalf of the OPM members wished Indonesia a Happy 68th Independence Day.

"We appreciate and respect Indonesia's independence day and do not wish to hinder the celebration," said Lambert Pekikir, Friday, August 16, 2013.

Jakarta – While the country celebrates Independence Day, the Oikoumene Churches Forum in Papua called on the central government to organize a dialogue to channel Papuans' political aspirations for independence from Indonesia.

On August 15th 2013, we opened a new office in The Hague, Netherlands. Scores of people attended this historical day, another very important step on the road to West Papuan self-determination and independence.

The spokesman of the Chief of Police in Papua, Commissioner I Gede Sumerta Jaya, said that the security situation in Papua remained calm throughout the territory of Papua when the KNPB [National Committee of West Papua] organised several demonstrations to commemorate the New York Agreement on 15 August 1962. He alleged that the police had acted with tolerance.

Demonstrations proceeded peacefully in several main centres of West Papua yesterday marking the region's incorporation into Indonesia despite a reported police ban on the protests.

Marni Cordell – A group of Australian and West Papuan activists will set sail from Cairns on Saturday for the Indonesian territory of West Papua, despite fears they could face arrest or worse for arriving in the country illegally.

Yogyakarta – "Self-determination, the Democratic Solution for the Papuan People", shouted West Papuan students protesting the New York Agreement of August 15, 1962, and supporting the opening of a Free West Papua Campaign office in the Netherlands today, during an action coordinated by the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) on Thursday August 15 in the Malioboro shopping district in the