The spotlight is again on West Papua following the killing of New Zealand pilot Glen Conning. His sad and untimely death came just as there was renewed hope that his fellow New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens might finally be released by the armed resistance fighters who have held him since February 2023.

Julia Bergin with wires – Armed independence groups, treacherous terrain, wild weather, and airstrips that make Nepal's notorious Lukla airport look like "child's play" are just some of the dangers that pilots face flying in West Papua.

Victor Yeimo – The killing of New Zealand helicopter pilot Glen Malcolm Conning in Alama Village, Mimika, Papua, on Monday August 5 brings back memories of the tragic story of this village in 1996.

Victor Mambor and Pizaro Gozali Idrus, Jayapura and Jakarta – Indonesian human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the death of a New Zealand helicopter pilot in a remote part of Papua province earlier this week.

Hengky Yeimo, Nabire – In a press release on Wednesday August 7, West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) national spokesperson Sebby Sambom said that three days after the fatal shooting of New Zealand helicopter pilot Glen Malcom Conning on Monday August 5, there has still been no confirmation reported to the TPNPB-OPM National Command by the TPNPB op

On 17 July 2024, officers from the Nabire Resort Police Unit detained Mr Zakeyos Dendegau, 26, at Karang Tumaritis Market in the Nabire Regency, Papua Tangah Province.

JAKARTA – Personnel of the joint police-military Operation Cartenz Peace task force were hunting armed rebels on Tuesday who reportedly shot dead a New Zealand helicopter pilot in Central Papua, as authorities retrieved the body of the pilot.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has begun operations to send emergency food supplies to a stockpile in Central Papua amid concerns of a hunger crisis caused by cold weather in the highlands of the province.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has condemned the reported killing of New Zealand helicopter pilot Glen Malcolm Conning in Alama, Mimika Regency

"If true, I condemn this killing in the strongest possible terms," said President Wenda. "We mourn Conning's death and do not want any more bloodshed on West Papuan land."

Benjamin Plummer and Kurt Bayer – The Government is asking how a New Zealand helicopter pilot came to be murdered by separatist rebels in Papua while saying it is still working on the "safe release" of another Kiwi chopper pilot held captive for nearly 18 months.

Jakarta – Separatist rebels in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua on Monday killed a helicopter pilot from New Zealand after he landed his aircraft in a remote area, authorities said, adding four other passengers on board were safe.

Manokwari, West Papua – Public organisation Papua Peace Network (JDP) condemned the armed criminal group that killed New Zealander pilot Glen Malcolm Conning in Mimika District, Central Papua, on Monday (August 5) morning.

Responding to the reported death of New Zealand pilot Glen Malcolm Conning, who was allegedly killed in Alama District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, said:

Alfian Kartono and Niniek Karmini, Jayapura, Indonesia – Gunmen stormed a helicopter and killed its New Zealand pilot shortly after it landed in Indonesia's restive Papua region on Monday, and they released two health workers and two children it was carrying, police said.

Jakarta (Agencies) – The body of a New Zealand helicopter pilot shot dead by rebels in Papua has been retrieved, the joint task force of police and soldiers leading the search said Tuesday.

Glen Malcolm Conning, 50, a pilot for PT Intan Angkasa Air Service, was killed Monday after landing in Papua with two Indonesian health workers and two children, all of whom survived.

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – The National Disaster Management Agency, or BNPB, reported that prolonged rain caused flooding in Dekai District, Yakuhimo Regency, PapuaPegunungan. Head of the Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center of BNPB, Abdul Muhari, said two bridges and two places of worship were damaged. A police station and a health facility were also affected.

Victor Mambor and Pizaro Gozali Idrus, Jayapura and Jakarta – Rebels in Indonesia's Papua are suspected of killing a New Zealand pilot after he landed a helicopter in a remote part of the province on Monday, Indonesian police said.

Jakarta – A separatist group in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua has agreed to free New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens from more than a year in captivity since kidnapping him, according to an audio message issued by a spokesperson on Saturday.

Jayapura – The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has strongly criticised a statement by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo who condemned the bomb attack in Tehran, Iran.

They believe that this criticism is only a pretence to attract international sympathy, while violence against the people of Papua continues without end.

Aliansi Demokrasi untuk Papua (AlDP, Democratic Alliance) are releasing their new report, titled "Treason and Political Prisoners in the Land of Papua" on 26th July 2024. This report forms a joint research output with TAPOL, a human rights organisation based in the UK.

Andreas Harsono – When the human rights lawyer Yan Christian Warinussy returned home from work on July 17, his 10-year-old son, Mario, begged for ice cream. Warinussy took off his tie, packed his three children and their cousin into the car, and they headed to downtown Manokwari in Indonesia's West Papua province.

Jakarta – DPR Speaker Puan Maharani participated in a parliamentary dialogue with countries with Melanesian clumps that are members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) organization. In this dialogue, Puan alluded to the development of Papua which is directly adjacent to Pacific countries.

Mrs Lamberti Faan, a Papuan human rights defender and internally displaced woman from the Maybrat Regency, Papua Barat Daya Province, and her relatives have been subjected to a series of intimidations following her testimony at the 56th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Pes Yanengga, Jayapura – The All-Papua Student Executive Council (BEM Se-Tanah Papua) Alliance has urged the Papua Regional Police Chief (Kapolda) and the Manokwari Municipal Police (Polresta) to immediately reveal the perpetrator of the shooting of the senior advocate and human rights activist Yan Christian Warinussy.

Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Parliament Buildings
Wellington

25 July 2024

Kia ora Minister Peters,

Jakarta – A joint search and rescue team is still scrambling to look for a cargo ship carrying equipment to build communication towers that has been missing since last week during its sail in Papua.

Jayapura – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's visit to Jayapura, West Papua, on July 23 in the context of the commemoration of Indonesian National Children's Day at the Istora Papua Bangkit sports complex was a form of distain and insult when as many as 62,000 Papuans are still displaced.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was in Jayapura, Papua, on Tuesday to celebrate National Children's Day. The city was chosen as the organizer for this year's event to symbolize that education should touch all children in Indonesia, including those in the remote and outermost regions.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Representatives of the Awyu and Moi Sigin indigenous communities submitted a petition supporting the tribes' struggle against palm oil companies to the Supreme Court on Monday, July 22, 2024, from South Papua and Southwest Papua.

Stefan Armbruster, Harlyne Joku and Tria Dianti, Brisbane/Port Moresby/Jakarta – No progress has been made in sending a U.N. human rights mission to Indonesia's Papuan provinces despite the appointment of Fiji and Papua New Guinea's prime ministers to negotiate the visit.

Jakarta – Indigenous peoples from the Awyu tribe in South Papua and the Moi Sigin tribe from Southwest Papua along with environmental activists handed over a petition of support for the Awyu and Moi tribes containing 253,823 signatures to the Supreme Court (MA) on Monday June 22.

Gusty da Costa Journalist – Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia Usman Hamid asks the Indonesian government and the Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to investigate the death of three civilians in Karutabe village, Mulia District, Puncak Jaya Regency, Central Papua, on July 16, 2024.

Pes Yanengga, Jayapura – Leaders of the Papuan Baptist Church and the Tolikara Student Association have slammed a statement by the Cenderawasih XVII regional military commander (Pangdam) on the fatal shooting of three civilians by the 753 AVT Infantry Battalion Task Force in Pepera Village, Mulia district, Puncak Jaya regency on Tuesday July 16.

A brutal killing of three Papuan civilians in Puncak Jaya reveals that occupied West Papua is a ticking time bomb under Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto, claims the leader of an advocacy group.

And United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Benny Wenda says the Melanesian region risks becoming "another East Timor".

On the night of 16 July 2024, the Indonesian military tragically shot dead Mr Tonda Wanimbo, head of Kalome Village in Mepogolok District, Mr Pemerintah Murib, head of Dokkome Village, and Mr Dominus Enumbi, a recent graduate from Cenderawasih University, in the Mulia District, Puncak Jaya Regency.

Jakarta – A number of organisations that make up the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform have condemned the shooting of senior Papuan advocate and human rights activists Yan Christian Warinussy.

The "Permanent Peoples' Tribunal on State and Environmental Violence in West Papua" took place last month at Queen Mary University of London.

A panel of tribunal experts heard evidence from numerous international NGOs and local civil society organisations as well as testimonies from individuals who have witnessed human rights violations and environmental destruction.

A National Strategic Project (PSN) Teluk Bintuni Regency, Papua Barat Province, has sparked concerns over the potential violation of indigenous land rights. The project, handled by Genting Oil Kasuri Pte. Ltd, is accused of failing to implement Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles with the affected Sumuri indigenous community.

Responding to the shooting of Yan Christian Warinussy, a senior lawyer and human rights defender in the province of West Papua, Amnesty International Indonesia's executive director Usman Hamid said:

Jakarta – A number of organisations that are part of the Papua Human Rights and Law Enforcement Coalition have condemned the shooting of senior advocate and human rights activist Yan Christian Warinussy in Manokwari, West Papua, on Wednesday afternoon, July 17.

Sevianto Pakiding, Timika, Papua – News of the killings of three suspected rebels during a security operation triggered chaos in Puncak Jaya regency, Papua, on Wednesday, as a mob burned military and police vehicles.

A resident named Peni described the situation as a "dead town" after rioters vandalized vehicles belonging to the local military command.

The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) congratulations the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders for calling on France to allow a joint United Nations-MSG mission to its colony of Kanaky (New Caledonia) to assess the political situation and propose solutions for the ongoing crisis.

Steve Rushton – Indigenous people in West Papua face systematic murder and destruction of their lands. They were colonised by Indonesia in the 1960s. West Papua is the western part of the island of New Guinea – home to the world's third largest rainforest.

Pes Yanengga, Jayapura – Papuan students have called on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to immediately withdraw TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) troops from Puncak regency, Central Papua Province. According to the students, the presence of non-organic troops has triggered an increase in violence against civilians.

Members of the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) have been accused of intimidating journalists while covering activities in Jalan Bubara, Klaligi Village, Sorong City, on 9 July 2024.

Jakarta – Security forces in Papua reported that a civilian turbine engine aircraft was shot by members of an armed criminal group upon landing at the Sinak Airport in Puncak regency, Central Papua, on Monday.

Jayapura – Zakarias Talaty, the sole judge at the Jayapura District Court, has rejected a pretrial motion on behalf of senior Papuan journalist Victor Mambor against an Order to Stop Investigation (SP3) issued by the North Jayapura Sectoral Police (Polsek) on the grounds that the SP3 was legitimate due to the lack of witnesses who saw the bomb attack on Mambor's home in March 2023.

Makassar – Police have admitted to seizing Free Papua Organisation (OPM) flags from a Papua student dormitory in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

"We have conducted a seizure of Morning Star flags at the dormitory", said Makassar Metropolitan District Police Chief (Kapolrestabes) Senior Commissioner Mokhamad Ngajib when sought for confirmation on Friday July 5.

The 6th July marks 26 years since the Biak Massacre when the Indonesian security forces massacred scores of people in Biak, West Papua. The victims, included women and children who had gathered for a peaceful rally. They were killed at the base of a water tower flying the Morning Star flag.

On 30 June 2024, military members allegedly arrested Mr Atinus Kum (see photo on top), a member of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), in the Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Tengah Province. According to the information received, Mr Kum was unarmed and on the way to the town to buy some necessities. The military members reportedly tortured and executed Mr Kum.