Michael Bachelard – Indonesian police have shot dead two West Papuan activists and burned down a house in the provincial city of Wamena which was used as the "Tribal Council" office for community meetings.

A West Papua National Committee (KNPB) activist has been killed, and a farmer has died from his wounds in hospital, after being shot by members of the Australian-trained anti-terror unit Detachment 88 outside Wamena on December 16, following raids that arrested at least six activists on Sunday morning, according to multiple sources.

Banjir Ambarita & SP/Robert Isidorus – A police outpost in Papua was set on fire on Sunday night, following the death of a Papuan activist who allegedly tried to attack police earlier that day.

Kayt Davies, Edith Cowan University – Last Friday a picture story appeared on page three of The Age that was ostensibly about events in West Papua. The story was pitched as a quirky yarn, replete with a wacky Disney character, a kilt (always a bit funny) and some large weapons.

[The following is a speech by ETAN's Chris Lundry at a Freeport protest in Phoenix, AZ, on December 14, 2012.]

Jayapura, Papua – The Police chief of Jayapura in Papua province, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Alfred Papare, has stated that Muslim youths will assist police personnel in ensuring security at the city's churches during the Lilin Operation in the region.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-201-2012

Dear friends,

George Roberts, Indonesia – Indonesia's Foreign Minister has vowed to review any cases of journalists being refused entry to the country's disputed Papua regions.

Marty Natalegawa has told a foreign journalists' group that 35 reporters have been granted access to Papuan provinces in the past year.

Robert Isidorus, Jayapura – A legal aid activist in Papua has said the recent unrest in Manokwari, West Papua, is a clear indication of efforts to destabilize the region to prompt a need for a stronger security presence. He urged tribal leaders in Papua and West Papua not to allow themselves to be provoked.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Hundreds of angry protestors set fire to two police posts at Sanggeng market and Amban in Manokwari, West Papua, on Wednesday after police shot dead escaped convict Timotius AP as he attempted to avoid being returned to Manokwari penitentiary.

SP/Robert Isidorus – The fatal shooting of an escaped convict by police in West Papua's provincial capital led a mob to damage several shops and burn a police outpost there on Wednesday, residents said.

Jayapura – The "chief of the general staff" of TPN/OPM, "Major-General" Terianus Santo said that his organisation had celebrated 1 December with prayers and ceremonies to unfurl the Morning Star flag at their headquarters deep in the forest.

Robert Isidorus & Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – Armed separatists exchanged gunfire with Indonesian security forces in Papua on Monday as police combed the Lanny Jaya district for those allegedly behind last week's deadly police station attack, a Free Papua Organization (OPM) head said.

Pirime, Papua – Members of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) were involved in a one-hour shootout with security personnel in Pirime district, Lanny Jaya regency, Papua, at 6 a.m. on Monday.

Three leaders of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) who were detained at a West Papuan independence rally on December 1 have been allegedly disappeared by Indonesian security forces, prompting fears of ill treatment at the hands of police.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – There were no sightings of the Morning Star separatist flag on Saturday in Papua on the 51st anniversary of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM), which has been marked every Dec. 1 since 1991.

Sydney – The Sydney-based Australia West Papua Association has issued a statement that thanks the Leichhardt and Marrickville councils for their support in raising the West Papuan Morning Star at their town halls again this year for West Papuan national Flag Day.

Wijaya Kusuma, Yogyakarta – Hundreds of Papuan students from Java and Bali that are part of the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) held an action at the zero kilometre point in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta to commemorate the 51st anniversary of West Papuan independence on Saturday December 1.

Jayapura – The separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) called for non-violent actions to free the easternmost provinces from Indonesia as the group on Saturday marked what it considers the 51st anniversary of the independent nation of West Papua.

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.