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.

Step Vaessen, Papua – Culturally distinct Papua is rich in resources but home to some of the country's poorest people.

The governor of the remote Indonesian province of Papua is warning that the region could revive its push for independence. Barnabas Suebu has told Al Jazeera that the central government in Jakarta must act quickly to improve conditions in the province.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Wanting to prove the human rights situation in Papua province has improved, Jakarta is considering allowing US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat from American Samoa, to visit the province.

Crimes against humanity suspect a threat to Papuans

Jayapura – The governor of Papua, fresh off a tour of remote villages, said past development efforts have failed to lift the majority of rural Papuans out of poverty.

Governor Barnabas Suebu, who visited villages in Supiori, Biak Numfor and Waropen regencies during his two-week tour, said more than 80 percent of people in rural areas were living in absolute poverty.

Jakarta – Nearly half the residents of Indonesia's remote Papua province have never heard of HIV/AIDS despite the virus' prevalence there being 15 times the national average, a new internationally funded research report shows.

Geoff Thompson – A special representative to the United Nations (UN) secretary-general says there are credible reports that human rights defenders in the Indonesian province of Papua are being held, tortured and harassed.

The secretary-general's special representative on the situation of human rights defenders, Hina Jilani, has just completed a tour of West Papua.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua and West Papua may face less of a challenge from the US Congress after a visiting delegation from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) outlined progress achieved in both provinces to congressmen.

Markus Makur, Timika – Papua has the seventh highest rate of illiteracy in Indonesia, with 200,000 people aged 12 to 45 years unable to read. In addition, more than 350,000 people over the age of 45 and living in rural areas in Papua cannot read and write.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Hundreds of Papuans rallied Friday in Papua and West Papua provinces during a one-day visit by special representative of the UN Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders Hina Jilani. In both provinces, Jilani was greeted with rallies.

Jakarta – Hundreds of people rallied Friday in West Papua, calling on the United Nations to put pressure on Jakarta to overturn a 1969 referendum that joined the territory to Indonesia, organisers said.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I on foreign affairs has commended the measures being taken by the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) in conducting a counter campaign against foreign parties linked to the issue of West Papua. These measures are essential to straighten out overseas opinions about Papua.

As leaders of churches in West Papua who are concerned about all aspects of our people's life, we are deeply concerned that the Special Autonomy which should have brought solutions to the Papuan people's problems, has, in fact, failed.

Jakarta – The government is not serious enough in settling human right violations in the country in general, in Papua in particular, a human rights observer said.

"The government has yet to show a sincere intention to settle a number of human right violation cases in Papua," human rights observer Jayadi Damanik said here Thursday.

The West Papuan representative in Vanuatu, Dr Otto Ondawame has raised concern over a recent incident in Port Moresby claiming the PNG government was allegedly working in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy in PNG and pro-special autonomy groups led by France Albert Yoku to force the West Papuan refugees in 9-Mile refugee camp to repatriate to West Papua.

Pius Nimaepa inhaled his clove cigarette smoke deeply when Tempo visited him at the end of March. The 60-year-old Ayuka tribal chief sat cross-legged on a wooden chair under a tree in front of his house in Ayuka village, Mimika Timur Jauh district, Mimika regency, Papua.

First to the Indonesian province of Papua, where police armed with water canon and M16 rifles are occupying a Jayapura church at the centre of a dispute over the synod's independence.

Indonesian Police are maintaining control of the Kingmi Synod Church office in the capital of Papua province, Jayapura. Earlier today police arrested dozens of Papuans who were among up to five hundred Kingmi Church members protesting in front of the office.

Jayapura – The Regional Military Commander of 172/PWY of Papua, Colonel Kav Burhanudin Siagian stated that the main enemies of the state are those who have enjoyed the nation's facilities, but who still do actions against the stability of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Traitors like them are the ones that must be destroyed.

[Merdeka: Artists from around the world unit in support of the independence movement in West Papua. Dancing Turtle Records, 2007. Only available from . Reviewed by Vannessa Hearman.]

Seby Sambom – The West Papua Highland Student Association is continuing its call for dialogue with the Indonesian government about Papua province's special autonomy status.

1,500 people took part in a student-led demonstration for Papuan self-determination outside the Provincial Parliament in Jayapura late last month.

A series of demonstrations in Indonesia's Papua province in the past week have called for an end to Special Autonomy, saying it hasn't worked.

Thousands of Papuan students attended two peaceful demonstrations, outside the provincial parliament capital Jayapura last Thursday, and then Tuesday at Manokwari, the second administrative centre in Papua.

Jakarta – More than 1,500 students on Friday gathered in front of the governors palace in Jayapura, the capital of the Indonesian province of Papua, demanding an end to the province's special autonomy status, which they say does not work.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The government has issued a regulation officially renaming West Irian Jaya province to West Papua province, a political decision that may not automatically settle the prolonged dispute over the new province's existence.