Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Police have detained seven people following the attack on the Pirime police subprecinct station in Lanny Jaya regency, Papua, on Nov. 27, in which three police personnel – Second Insp. Rofli Takubesi, First Brig. Daniel Makuker and Brig. Jefri Rumkorem – were killed.

Jakarta – There were no sightings of the Morning Star separatist flag on Saturday in Timika, Papua, on the 50th anniversary of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), which is marked on Dec. 1, despite rumors of the flag being raised in various spots in the city.

Leonie Tanggahma – For more than 50 years, the Morning Star Flag has been the symbol of West Papua's unity and its quest for Freedom and Justice. Thousands have been inspired by it, as it became the main icon embodying the struggle for Independence. And this flag, just like any other flag of any other country, has a history, a proud history.

Jayapura – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) chairperson Victor Yeimo was arrested by police during a protest action in the Waena area, Heram district, in Jayapura city on Saturday. He was arrested along with two other colleagues, Hukum Kiman and Ebes Sala.

Robert Isidorus & Arientha Primanita, Jayapura – An official with the Free Papua Movement (OPM) claimed responsibility on Friday for the recent killing of three police officers in the Papua district of Lanny Jaya, refuting an earlier disavowal made by other OPM members.

Jayapura – The Papua Police have strengthened security ahead of the Free Papua movement's (OPM) anniversary, which falls on July 1 but is often celebrated on Dec. 1.

Papua Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta said Friday that police would deploy two-thirds of the officers stationed in Papua to "anticipate the activity of pro-Papua liberation supporters".

A criminal gang, led by a man identified only by the initials RM, is alleged to be behind several attacks on the police in the Papua central mountain range area, including the recent murder of three officers at Pirime police precinct.

Jakarta – Police and military personnel engaged in a gunfight on Wednesday with an unidentified armed group in Indawa village, Lany Jaya, Papua, while en route to Pirime to investigate a recent attack against a police post.

The police chief of the district of Mimika, Jeremias Runtini has called on the people to "remain calm" as 1 December approaches. He said that people should act together to safeguard security and public order and should avoid getting involved in activities that tend towards subversion such as flying the Morning Star flag.

Separatist gunmen attacked a police station Tuesday in Indonesia's restive Papua province, killing three officers and setting the complex alight, police said.

Around 50 gunmen, said by police to be members of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM), attacked the Pirime police station in the town of Wamena, provincial police spokesman I Gde Sumarta told AFP.

Jayapura – Alius Asso, the deputy chairman of SHDRP, the Papuan Civil Society Organisation for Solidarity, Law and Human Rights, has urged the police to use persuasive methods on 1 December when demonstrations will take place to mark the anniversary of 1 December.

John Gibb – New Zealand could improve the "critical" human rights situation in West Papua by pursuing the peacemaking role that proved successful during the earlier Bougainville conflict, human rights advocate Frederika Korain says.

Farouk Arnaz – A pastor was found dead on a street in Merauke, Papua, on Thursday morning with a gunshot wound to her head.

The victim was identified as Frederika Metalmeti, the pastor of the Bethlehem Pentecostal church in Boven Digoel district for the past 10 years.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Papua Police are determined to seriously tackle rampant corruption practice in the Papau and West Papua provinces.

On Tuesday, Papua Police's directorate of special crimes questioned Maybrat Regent Bernard Sagrim on his capacity as a witness in the alleged Rp 3 billion (US$310 million) corruption case.

Jayapura, KNPBnews – In their continuous efforts to destroy the legitimate movement of the people of West Papua who are fighting for their rights, Indonesian counter-intelligence operations have now created a rival organization called the West Papua Youth National Committee (Komite Nasional Pemuda Papua Barat, or KNPPB).

A former Vanuatu Prime Minister says the move to bring Indonesia into the Melanesian Spearhead Group is unacceptable because Fiji, as the current MSG chair, does not have a democratic government.

Timika – The chief of police in Papua has announced that he will be setting up a special team to investigate recent acts of terror in the vicinity of the Freeport copper-and-gold mine which is located in the district of Mimika.

Credible Reports have again emerged detailing a rampage by troops from the notorious Indonesian Army (TNI) Battalion 756, who have reportedly run amok burning houses and beating up Papuan civilians, during a recent security sweep against Papuan civil society activists.

[Note: West Papua Media has again independently verified all contents of this report with contacts in Fak-Fak, and is reprinting the KNPB News report in full as WPM has confidence in this reportage.]

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jakarta – The replacement of former Papua interim governor Syamsul Arief Rivai, who held the position for 16 months, with Constant Karma, a high-ranking civil servant, is aimed at making the upcoming Papua gubernatorial election a success, according to a government official.

London – The State Visit to the UK of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been beset by protests against his government's human rights abuses in West Papua, Aceh and the Moluccas.

Natalie Powell, London – Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has become the first world leader on a state visit to the UK during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year.

Dr Yudhoyono and his wife, who are on a three-day visit, will meet members of the British royal family and discuss investment and business development with politicians.

Police in London detained Peter Tatchell, an Australian-born human rights activist, on Wednesday after he unfurled the West Papuan Morning Star flag as Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's limousine departed from Westminster Abbey.

"I was arrested for peaceful protest against #Indonesia crimes in #WestPapua," he tweeted. "Only held a flag."

Dozens of protesters have denounced alleged torture in Indonesia and accused Britain of putting commercial interests ahead of human rights on the first day of a state visit by the Indonesian president.

A demonstration by Survival International and dozens of human rights protesters has marred the start of Indonesia's first state visit to London in 33 years.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Papua Police have launched an overhaul of their institution in the provinces of Papua and West Papua by replacing 23 out of 29 police regency heads.

KontraS, the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence has drawn the conclusion that from January to October this year, 107 people have been injured as a result of acts of violence.

Non-student protesters should stop using the Cenderawasih University (Uncen) campus in Jayapura, Papua, as a place to hide if they are being pursued by local police during rallies, according to the head of a student board.

AWPA has called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs Bob Carr to urgently raise concerns about the crackdown on peaceful activists in West Papua. Letter below.

Joe Collins Mob 04077 857 97

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

Demonstrations planned for Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Index: ASA 21/041/2012

Amnesty International calls on the Indonesian security forces to halt the excessive use of force and firearms when policing demonstrations in Papua. The organization also urges the authorities to respect the right of Papuans to peaceful assembly and to freedom of expression of their political opinions.

A number of students from Cenderawasih University (UNCEN) took part in a rally outside the office of the DPRP, the Legislative Assembly of Papua, calling for an end to the stigma of makar (treason), separatism and terrorism against indigenous Papuans.

Dr Richard Di Natale
Greens Senator for Victoria

The Australian Greens have expressed serious concern about reports of further violence in West Papua.

"The Greens are very concerned by the reports of violence between Indonesian police and West Papuan activists yesterday in Manokwari," said Senator Richard Di Natale, Greens spokesperson on West Papua.

Contributor Manado, Ronny Adolof Buol – As reported earlier, Papuans living in North Sulawesi, specifically those in Manado city held a protest action demanding justice for the Land of Papua on Tuesday October 23.

Jakarta – Police today attacked a journalist covering a rally organised by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Manokwari in West Papua.

London, UK – A week before Indonesia's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit to the UK, Parliamentarians, Peers and civil society organisations gathered at the Houses of Parliament, to discuss West Papua's right to self-determination, freedom from violence and persecution, and actions to be taken to bring this to the attention of the international community.

The Commonwealth Attorney-General should push for a full, independent and public investigation into the alleged involvement of an Indonesian counter-terrorism unit in human rights abuses in West Papua, according to a leading human rights advocacy organisation.

Antara/Ratna Nuraini – A demonstration by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) that took place in Manokwari this morning ended in chaos. As a result of the incident, 11 people were taken away by the Manokwari district police.

Please share the following video footage via social media and please put pressure on the Indonesian government to withdraw all armed forces from West Papua:

Jakarta – Five police officers, one journalist were injured and eleven reportedly detained when a rally staged by West Papua National Committee (KNPB) turned chaotic on Tuesday in Manokwari, West Papua.

Camelia Pasandaran & Oktovianus Pogau – The Indonesian Military (TNI) and Papua Police opened fire on protestors in Manokwari, shooting two and injuring three others – including a Jakarta Globe contributor – in the latest crackdown on pro-independence groups in this restive province.

Reports have been received from human rights investigators detailing a torture incident that occurred in Serui on October 17, 2012, under the command of notorious Serui Police Chief Roycke Harry Langie.

Nick Chesterfield – As a major crackdown by Indonesian security forces deepens against West Papuan civil resistance activists ahead of mass mobilisations across Papua, West Papua Media is examining Papuan nationalist motivations for resistance, revisiting a region that has been continuously wracked by security force violence connected to illegal gold mining and resource extraction.

Nick Chesterfield, with local sources – Indonesian Special Forces officers have redoubled their efforts to hunt down non-violent women's and environmental rights activist Fanny Kogoya, after a failed attempt to capture her and Papuan student activists from the West Papua National Committee at a university dormitory on Tuesday night.

As commemorations marking the Third Papuan People's Congress were forcibly broken up by heavy handed security forces in Jayapura, the celebrations in Wamena, Merauke, Fakfak, Sorong, Timika and Serui were cheerfully welcomed with a thanksgiving service.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-185-2012

Dear friends,

London – A week after Indonesia's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit to the UK, parliamentarians from around the world and local civil society organizations will gather at Westminster to discuss the ongoing struggle for the liberation of West Papua from Indonesia.

The plan by a group of people to commemorate the events that occurred last year at the time of the Third Papuan People's Congress (KRP III) when several people lost their lives has been described by the Papuan Provincal Legislative Assembly (DPR Papua) as a legitimate expression of Papuan concerns.

Papuan political activists and human rights defenders are living in increasing fear as a result of an intensifying crackdown by Indonesian police, military and intelligence officers against activists, particularly members of the non-violent West Papua National Committee, KNPB.

Nick Chesterfield, with Westpapuamedia stringers – Amid an intensification of armed security sweeps against West Papuan clanspeople around Wamena, Church leaders in West Papua have condemned Indonesian security forces for falsely engineering conditions to justify eliminating Papuan civil resistance to Jakarta's colonial rule.