Tom Hyland – Matius Bunai was last seen alive three weeks ago today when he left a church service in the town of Nabire in the Indonesian province of Papua. His body, beaten and lacerated, was found dumped in the street the following morning.

The 4th National Gathering of the Australian Coalition of West Papua Support Groups met in Sydney over the weekend of the 11-12 August to discuss and formulate campaigns to highlight the ongoing human rights abuses occurring in West Papua. The gathering also affirmed their support for the peaceful struggle of the West Papuan people to achieve their right to self-determination.

Jayapura – Some 300 protesters who said they were from the Coalition of People and Students Care of Papua held a rally at Papua Legislative Council on Monday demanding the provincial government, the local council and Papua People's Council reject the province's special autonomy status.

Two West Papuan men have been murdered in separate incidents in what appears to be a return of the 'mysterious killing' style of political repression, which was carried out by the Indonesian security forces during the Suharto era.

There is concern being expressed about the statement by the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, linking Papuan separatists to terrorism.

Erica Vowles – The rights and revenue that were supposed to flow from West Papua's Special Autonomy Law – implemented by the Indonesian Government in 2001 – are yet to transpire for the majority of West Papuans, according to delegates at a conference in Sydney last week.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has warned his Government will not tolerate interference from those who want to slow down the development of Papua. The President issued the warning in his annual address to Parliament.

Craig Skehan – The diplomatically sensitive Morning Star independence flag was flown outside the Australian Parliament yesterday by a group of West Papuans – some of whose successful asylum applications last year infuriated Indonesia. Flying the same flag in West Papua would probably mean jail.

Markus Makur, Timika – Soldiers and police officers have been ordered to take strict action against any groups or parties that erect Papua's Bintang Kejora flags during the commemoration of Indonesia's 62nd Independence Day on Friday.

Here is a strong warning as the 17th August anniversary approaches to anyone who tries to pull down the red-and-white flag already unfurled on the mast. Army headquarters has issued a threat that they will "shoot on sight".

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard is being asked to speak up for the human rights of Papua when he meets Indonesia's President in Sydney next month.

Jakarta – Papua's five-year-old special autonomy status has done nothing to lift social conditions for the majority of Papuan people thanks to the poor allocation of autonomy funds, said the Papuan People's Assembly (MPR) in Australia on Tuesday.

The DPRP team which visited Jakarta this week to discuss the adoption of the Morning Star flag, the song 'Hai Tanahku Papua' and the Mambruk bird as symbols for Papua spent Friday in a meeting with BIN (State Intelligence Bureau) officials.

Police use gun to threaten Rev Sofian Yoman, outspoken Human Rights advocate, at Church service

The Rev Socretez Sofian Yoman, President of the Baptist Church in West Papua, has been threatened by members of the Indonesian Police and members of military intelligence with a gun outside Sunday service in Jayapura.

A West Papuan man, Yakobus Gimbanop, is reported to be dying in hospital at Tanah Merah after being tortured by Indonesian military personnel.

Yakobus Gimbanop from the Wabom tribal group was beaten and tortured at Military Camp 19 Korindo, Aseki. This incident was reported have occurred from about 29/07/07.

Yesterday the embattled Kingmi Church in West Papua was again violently occupied by Indonesian Police.

Indonesia is under pressure for posting a colonel indicted for crimes against humanity in East Timor, to the province of Papua. It comes as the Indonesian military is believed to be stepping up its activities in Papua and there are reports of Indonesian backed militias increasing their presence there too. Human rights groups are calling for international intervention.

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – An independent NGO, the Papua Working Group in Jakarta, said a revision of the Papua Special Autonomy Law was insignificant and that the Papuan administration needed a solid and transparent plan to prioritize development and channel progression funds properly.

Jakarta – The Supreme Court refused the appeal of a man convicted in a December 2006 shooting near the operational area of Freeport McMoran in Timika, Papua, that left three employees dead.

Justice German Hoediarto on Thursday upheld the life sentence handed down to Antonius Wawang by the Jakarta High Court. Wawang was sentenced by the high court in January.

The Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights (IPAHR) is extremely concerned at the increasing activity of pro-Indonesian militias in West Papua.

Jakarta – The Free Papua Movement (OPM) is no more than an ideology, with only about six percent of the population of Papua remaining active members of the separatist movement, a military commander said Tuesday.

HS Dillon, Jakarta – Despite evident shortcomings, one of the outstanding features of post-Soeharto reform has been the devolution of considerable authority to the regions. This includes Papua, where, dating back from the Dutch colonial days, the institutional setup and policy-making has not favored ethnic Papuans.

Filep Karma a West Papuan political prisoner has been on hunger strike in prison in Jayapura. He went on hunger strike after receiving a letter from the authorities saying that he and fellow prisoner Yusak Pakage, would be moved from prison in Jayapura to a prison in Jakarta.

Calls for the release of prisoners jailed under Indonesia's draconian 'hate-sowing' laws, including Papuans Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage, have been reiterated today by TAPOL, which promotes human rights, peace and democracy in Indonesia.

James Balowski, Jakarta – Indonesian police routinely torture, rape and kill with impunity in West Papua and risk fanning separatism there, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released on July 5.

James Balowski, Jakarta – Coinciding with the release of a report by Human Rights Watch exposing endemic human rights abuses in West Papua and the refusal to allow a member of the US Congress to visit the province, protests featuring the Morning Star flag were held.

The presence in West Papua of Col. Burhanuddin Siagian, a senior Indonesian army officer indicted for crimes against humanity charges in East Timor (now called Timor-Leste) endangers human rights defenders and political activists. Recently Col. Siagian threatened to "destroy" peaceful dissidents in the contested region.

The Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC), a regional solidarity organization that campaigns on issues affecting the peoples of the region, expresses its gravest concern over the continued presence of Col. Burhanuddin Siagian as commander of the Jayapura sub-regional military command (Korem 172) in West Papua.

With the regional assembly (DPRP) now preparing to issue a regulation about cultural symbols, such as the Morning Star, the song Hai Tanahku Papua some time this month, the Commander of Korem 172/PWY, Colonel Burhaniddin Siagian, said that the DPRP and the MRP should "act wisely" bearing in mind that the Morning Star flag, Tanahku Papua and the Mambruk bird symbol were not regional

The Indonesia Human Rights Committee has faxed an urgent letter to the Prime Minister calling on her to raise issues of human rights in West Papua when she meets with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono next week.

Jayapura – Police have questioned 14 witnesses in connection with the unfurling of a separatist Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag during the opening of the Papua Customary Community Congress here last week.

Men and women from the Papua Tribal Council have been arrested yesterday in Jayapura at the end of the Peoples Congress held by the Papuan Presidium Council to elect its new set of officers.

Only days after the Indonesian Government banned U.S Congressman Eni Faleomavega from visiting West Papua, the Indonesian police, military and local government in Yogyakarta have teamed up with Islamic militias and hardline nationalist groups to crack down on West Papuan activists.

Paula Makabori – More Papuans are being questioned by Indonesian police in Jayapura over a flag-raising incident. This follows the arrest of eight Papuans at the end of the four-day Papuan Tribal Congress meeting in Jayapura last week.

Jakarta – The police said Friday they would look into allegations of abuse contained in a Human Rights Watch report released the previous day, and respond appropriately if the allegations were found to be true.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The four-day Papuan Tribal Community congress has elected Forkorus Yoboisembut as the new Papuan Tribal Council leader, replacing Tom Beanal.

Forkorus, formerly the council's tribal governing chief, was elected Friday on the last day of the congress at the Cendrawasih sport complex in Jayapura city. He will hold the post until 2012.

Jakarta – A US congressman who once supported separatism for Indonesia's Papua said Thursday he was encouraged by the nation's commitment to address the needs of people in the troubled region.

US Democrat congressman Eni Faleomavaega, who was invited to the national capital Jakarta but not to Papua itself by an Indonesian lawmaker, said his outlook had "changed".

Jakarta – Indonesian police are to investigate claims in a human rights report released this week that their forces in Papua have routinely abused people there, national police chief Sutanto said Friday.

Government should open Central Highlands to independent observers

Jakarta – In the Central Highlands of remote Papua province, a region closed to outside observers, police appear to be routinely committing serious abuses, such as extrajudicial executions, torture and rape, with impunity, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

The banning of US American Samoan Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, from visiting West Papua, strengthens the suspicions of the international community that Indonesia has something to hide in its territory of West Papua.

Jakarta – Indonesian police routinely torture, rape and kill with impunity in Indonesia's easternmost Papua and risk fanning separatism there, an international rights group said in a report released Thursday.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Visiting US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega on Wednesday expressed support for Indonesia's efforts to empower Papuans, stressing a tangible developmental outcome and more autonomy to Papua.

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Police in Yogyakarta broke up a rally Wednesday by about 50 Papuan students after they unfurled a Bintang Kejora flag, the symbol of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Muklis Ali, Jakarta – A visiting US congressman said on Thursday Indonesia had made progress in how it treats the people of Papua, as a rights group accused security forces of killing, torturing and raping civilians in the remote area.

Dikhy Sasra, Jakarta – Around 100 people who said they were students originating from West Papua demonstrated in front of the United States Embassy on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta on Thursday July 5. Some of the demonstrators wore traditional clothing and T-shirts with pictures of the Morning Star.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Visiting US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega met Tuesday with leading Papuan figures in Jakarta after the government failed to grant him permission to enter the province.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Accompanied by the beat of drums, West Papuan students danced and sang following a protest in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Wednesday July 4 in which they rejected special autonomy saying it had failed.

Muklis Ali, Jakarta – Indonesia has barred a US congressman who has been a critic of Jakarta's policies in Papua from visiting the area, but has denied the move is to cover up alleged human rights abuses in the remote region.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega is expected to arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday but the Indonesian government said Monday it would not allow him to visit Papua because his presence in the province could encourage violence.

The decision, announced yesterday, by the Indonesian government to prevent US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega from travelling to West Papua, will undermine efforts to promote human rights and democracy in the territory says TAPOL, the UK-based human rights organisation.