Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – At least 10,000 Papuans stormed into the office of the Papua provincial legislative council in Jayapura on Friday, demanding the government to review its Special Autonomy Law.

Jakarta – Controversy over the issue of special autonomy for Papua has shifted to allegations of the misuse of Rp 5.6 trillion (US$577.3 million) in the government's autonomy fund allocated for the region.

Washington – As a peace deal nears in a 29-year war in Aceh, US lawmakers are seeking support for an independence movement in another Indonesian province: West Papua, also the site of a long-simmering rebellion.

Hon Alexander Downer MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

11 August 2005

Dear Mr. Downer,

I am writing to you concerning the increasing tension in West Papua.

The Secretary of State
The Honorable Dr. Condoleezza Rice

Dear Madam Secretary:

The West Papua Advocacy Team at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Human Rights Center wishes to call to your attention the accelerating deterioration of the human and civil rights environment in West Papua.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – United Nations and rudimentary SOS flags were unfurled during a ceremony commemorating International Indigenous Day on Tuesday morning in Jayapura.

Tiarma Siboro and ID Nugroho, Jakarta/Surabaya – Top members of the Papuan Tribal Council (DAP) met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Friday and asked the government to immediately hold a significant review of its special autonomy policy in the province, otherwise the campaign for independence of the resource-rich province would become stronger.

Fred Dove (Presenter): In the far corner of South East Asia the island of New Guinea is divided into West Papua and Papua New Guinea. While the latter is independent, West Papua, a former Dutch colony, has been officially part of Indonesia since the so-called Act of Free Choice referendum in 1969.

Jakarta – A United States Congressman assured Indonesia on Thursday of his country's support for the territorial integrity of this country, which has been plagued by secessionist movements for decades.

August 15th, 2005 may possibly – hopefully – be recorded as a day of peace in Indonesian history books. Two days ahead of the 60th anniversary of Indonesia's independence, the government is going to sign a peace accord with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The bloody conflict in Indonesia's westernmost province that has lasted for more than 30 years may thus soon be past.

The Right Hon Jack Straw MP
Foreign Secretary
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London SW1

Dear Mr Straw,

I wish to draw your attention to the grave situation in West Papua and the many reports we have been receiving recently of growing tension there.

Jakarta – In an apparent attempt to calm the public, the government says it will refrain from paying too much attention to a move to question Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua.

Jakarta – Foreign countries still recognise Papua as part of Indonesia, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda in response to the US Lower House's recent bill questioning the validity of the 1969 referendum in Papua, in which Papua locals voted unanimously to join Indonesia.

Neles Tebay, Rome – The government is beginning to pay the price for its reluctance to honor its commitment to fully implement Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua. And if the government does not take measures to prevent more damage from its blunders in Papua, it will face more international pressure about the country's easternmost province.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The House of Representatives plans to send a four-member delegation to the US to lobby congress in an attempt to block passage of a bill that raises questions about the status of Papua.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Papuan leaders reacted cautiously on Monday to the bill recently approved by the US House of Representatives, stressing that Papua is legally part of Indonesia but urging the government to renew its commitment to implementing special autonomy status there.

Jakarta – The government should be more serious in handling problems in Papua following foreign intervention like the support given by an American senator for Papuan freedom.

Jakarta – The US State Department announced on Friday that Washington would not support any effort that would allow Papua to gain independence from Indonesia.

"With respect to Papua, the US reiterates its firm support for the territorial integrity of Indonesia. The US does not support or condone any efforts to promote the secession of Papua from the Republic of Indonesia.

Jakarta – The Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) will soon send a protest letter to the US administration through its embassy here against the US Congress adopting a bill questioning the status of Papua.

Jakarta/Shenzen, China – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono warned the US not to interfere in Indonesia's domestic affairs after the US House of Representatives recently approved a bill that questions the status of Papua.

London and Washington, D.C. – The relationship between mining company Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold and the Indonesian military – controversial since the unexplained killings of three teachers working for the company in 2002 – comes under renewed scrutiny today in a report by Global Witness.

Kitty Holland – The human rights violations inflicted on the people of West Papua are the same as those suffered by the people of East Timor, an activist from the western Pacific island has said.

The United States Congress is to vote on a bill which could see the US Government ordered to monitor the human rights situation in the Indonesian province of West Papua. The House International Relations Committee has passed the State Department Authorisation Act for the next financial year.

Three arrested Papuans told "If you take action against Indonesia, Indonesia will kill you."

Introduction

"The churches in Papua can no longer remain silent if injustice and human rights abuses continue. Violence by the Indonesian military forces has increased. West Papuan people have been pursued, detained, terrorised, intimidated, imprisoned, tortured, raped, killed and disappeared."

Recommended Action: Please copy the letter below the Background Information or write in your own words and send to:

Mr Kofi Annan Secretary General of the United Nations <mailto:ecu@un.org>ecu@un.org

And Cc: <http://us.f419.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=indonesia2@un.int>indonesia2@un.int;

Optional: Please also send appeals to:

Neles Tebay, Urbaniana, Rome – Last week, Vice President Jusuf Kalla visited West Irian Jaya. where he acknowledged the province continues to lack a strong legal base. During the visit, the vice president, who is also the head of the Golkar party, was accompanied by Golkar's candidate for the governor of the province.

Yorrys Raweyai, a former leader of one of the country's most feared thugs-for-hire groups, has registered himself as a candidate for the governorship of West Irian Jaya province.

Reports said Yorrys and his running mate Abdul M. Killian were nominated by Golkar Party and two smaller parties for next month's gubernatorial election.

Jayapura – The Papua provincial council officially changed its name to the Papua People's Representative Council in a plenary session on Wednesday. The change, based on Law No. 21/2001 on Papua's special autonomy, was marked by the unveiling of a new placard outside the council building by the province's deputy governor Constant Karma.

UK groups monitoring BP's US$5 billion Tangguh liquefied natural gas project in West Papua have expressed dismay that the company entered into an important agreement for the security of the controversial project with an Indonesian official charged with crimes against humanity in East Timor.

Only two months after John Howard pledged Australian government support For Indonesia's territorial integrity, Australians from the National Coalition of West Papua Solidarity Groups met in Brisbane to plan how to secure justice for people in the restive Indonesian colony of West Papua.

On 26 May, an Indonesian court passed gross prison sentences against two young West Papuans for organising peaceful celebrations and flying the Morning Star flag in the provincial capital, Jayapura, on 1 December last year.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Presiden RI, Istana Merdeka Jakarta Pusat 10110 Indonesia

29 May 2005

Dear President Yudhoyono,

I am writing to you concerning the two West Papuan men, Philep Karma and Yusak Pakage who have just received jail terms of 15 and 10 years respectively, for so-called "treason against the state".

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A Papua district court sentenced Papuan separatist leaders Philep Karma and Yusak Pakage to 15 and 10 years in jail respectively on Thursday for "treason against the state".

Len Garae, Port Vila – Vanuatu's Prime Minister has blamed "foreign elements" for an incident last week where the Indonesian flag on the vehicle of Jakarta's ambassador to Port Vila was replaced with the Papuan independence flag.

Jayapura – The court hearing at the Jayapura State Court on Monday May 23 in the case of Filep Karma and Yusack Pakage who are charged with raising of the Morning Star Flag was marred when defense lawyers refused to speak then walked out of the court room.

Suherdjoko and Nethy Dharma Somba, Semarang/Jayapura – Discontent with disciplinary actions taken against police officers involved in the violent handling of protesters in Papua, dozens of Papuan students demanded on Monday the dismissal of the provincial police chief.

Nethy Dharma Somba and Suherdjoko, Jayapura/Semarang – Under mounting public pressure, Papua provincial police replaced on Friday another senior policeman held responsible for the shoddy handling of a violent protest in Jayapura on Tuesday.

Neles Tebay, Rome – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to visit the United States, the European Union (EU), and Japan.

Carmel Budiardjo, London – Despite being chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights and affirming its commitment to human rights, including self-determination, at the recent Asian-African summit in Jakarta, the Indonesian government has once again demonstrated its instinctive mistrust of fundamental freedoms by its response to an international meeting on West Papua.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A senior Papuan police officer has been replaced and four other are being questioned for alleged human rights violations following a violent clash between separatist supporters and police personnel on Tuesday in Jayapura, a police spokesman said on Wednesday.

Jayapura – The separatist trial of Philip Karma and Yusak Pakage who are each facing five years jail at the Jayapura State Court on Tuesday May 10 has ended in a riot. As a result of the clash, scores of local people and police officers suffered injuries and some 26 vehicles were damaged.

At least 13 people including two policewomen were injured when an angry crowd threw stones at the trial of a popular pro-independence activist in Indonesia's Papua province, officials said.

Jakarta – Dozens of people were injured Tuesday when police clashed with independence supporters in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, news reports said.

About 300 protesters demonstrated outside the Jayapura provincial council buildings on Monday against the United Nations' decision to give Indonesia control of the province in 1963.

Port Numbay (Jayapura) – Around 500 indigenous Papuans organised by the Papua Youth Group (Kelompok Pemuda Papua) held a demonstration against the integration of West Papua in to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia on the morning of Sunday May 1 at the Trikora Abepura Square.

George Monbiot – It all seems a very long way away. But what is happening in an obscure island nation in the south Pacific has now become our business. A few weeks ago BP, the British company that has invested most in "corporate social responsibility", received final approval to start developing a gas field in West Papua, the western half of the island of New Guinea.

See also below: West Papua Solidarity Meeting clarification

The government of the Philippines and the University of the Philippines say they do not support a meeting discussing the issue of independence for West Papua.

Jakarta – Vice-President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla has requested the Phillippines government not to interfere in Indonesia's internal affairs in relation to the problem of Papua. Because according to Indonesia, Papua is part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). This position is not negotiable.