Yamin Kogoya, Jayapura – Papuans regard December as both the most sacred and toughest month of the year.
December holds great significance in West Papua for two distinct reasons. First, the date December 1 signifies a pivotal national moment for Papuans, symbolising the birth of their nationhood.
Manokwari, Jubi – Manuel Yenusi, the head of Sorong Class II B Penitentiary in Manokwari, Southwest Papua reported that 53 inmates escaped following a religious service. The incident occurred on Sunday, January 7, 2024.
Yenusi mentioned that the incident coincided with the sound of fireworks after the church service ended at 11:00 a.m. Papua time.
Jayapura, Jubi – Made Sudayasa, an expert cultural officer from the Cultural Heritage Preservation Center of Region XXII in Papua, expressed his concerns regarding the escalating development that jeopardizes the preservation of historical, educational, religious, and cultural artifacts in Papua Province.
Jayapura – The Papuan people and the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in the Meepago area have welcomed the acquittal of Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti who were found not guilty by the East Jakarta District Court on Monday January 8.
Jayapura – West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) spokesperson Sebby Sambom has expressed his gratitude to Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti who were found not guilty by the East Jakarta District Court on Monday January 8.
Sentani, Jubi – The family of Daud Bano, a resident of Kwansu Village in Kemtuk District, Jayapura Regency who died after being slain by an Indonesian Military (TNI) soldier, requests that the perpetrator be fairly and openly prosecuted.
Reiner Brabar, Jayapura – Papuan students in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta have issued a statement containing five demands in response to the ongoing trial in the East Jakarta District Court that has ensnared human rights defenders Fatia Maulidiyanti and Haris Azhar.
Jayapura, Jubi – In 2023, according to ELSHAM Papua's Director, Rev. Matheus Adadikam, there were numerous instances of arbitrary arrests conducted by the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Police across various regions in Papua. These incidents occurred in Boven Digoel in January; in Wamena in February; in Puncak Regency in March; and in Nduga in April.
Jayapura, Jubi – Despite the overcast skies following a rainy night, the poignant ceremony bidding farewell to Lukas Enembe, the former Governor of Papua from 2013 to 2023, unfolded solemnly at his residence in Koya Tengah, Muara Tami District, Jayapura City on Friday, December 29, 2023.
Meirto Tangkepayung, Jayapura – A tumult erupted in Kampung Karya Bumi Besum, Namblong District, Jayapura Regency, Papua, on Monday, as dozens of residents expressed their anger through a rampage, setting fire to various facilities and offices.
Jayapura, Jubi – Thousands gathered to bear the body of former Governor Lukas Enembe from the Sentani Airport to the STAKIN Sentani cemetery grounds on Thursday, December 28, 2023. Initially, a group of students, church leaders, and several others intended for the body to be transported by vehicle, accompanied by the people walking.
Jayapura, Jubi – Acting Governor of Papua Ridwan Rumasukun faced a distressing turn of events while partaking in the solemn duty of escorting the body of former Governor Lukas Enembe.
The procession, from Sentani Airport to STAKIN Sentani, took an unforeseen and tumultuous twist when Ridwan Rumasukun was struck by a stone, causing severe head injuries.
Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) has stated that it was not involved in the torching of shop houses, assaults and vandalism in Jayapura Regency and Jayapura City during the convoy accompanying the body of the late former Papua governor Lukas Enembe (LE) on Thursday December 28.
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua figure Rev. Benny Giay deeply mourned over the passing of former Governor Lukas Enembe on Tuesday, December 26, 2023. Giay urges the Papuan community to remain calm and focused on honoring Lukas Enembe, a great leader who contributed significantly to Papua.
Stevani Wijaya, Antara, Jayapura – Tension escalated dramatically as a sizable crowd clashed with security officials at Jayapura's airport when the casket carrying the late former Papua Governor, Lukas Enembe, arrived on Thursday.
Manokwari, Jubi – Individuals suspected to be members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) allegedly attacked Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers at the Bousha border security post in Maybrat Regency.
Denny Armandhanu and Asyraf Kamil, Jakarta/Singapore – The death of former Papua governor Lukas Enembe while serving time for graft has sparked criticisms against the beleaguered Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for worsening the man's health by subjecting him to court trials.
Yuni Rohmawati, Jakarta – The attorney for Lukas Enembe, Petrus Bala Pattyona, said the Corruption Eradication Commission or KPK must be responsible for the death of the former governor of Papua. Petrus claimed that, by law, sick people should not be tried.
Jayapura, Jubi – Roby Nyong, Chair of the Indonesian Disability Persons Association (PPDI) in Papua Province, raised concerns about the persistent challenges faced by people with disabilities in securing formal sector employment.
Jayapura, Jubi – John NR Gobai, lawmaker of the Papua's People Council Commission II overseeing economics and tourism, emphasized the need for adequate road infrastructure to support the coastal tourist destinations in Amai Village, Depapre District, Jayapura Regency, Papua.
Sentani, Jubi – Rev. Benny Giay urges all Christians in Papua to take a moment to deeply reflect on the true meaning of this year's Christmas by considering the plight of internally displaced people in Papua, the conditions of those who have died due to illness or violence.
Jayapura, Jubi – The President of the Union of Baptist Churches in West Papua, Rev. Ambirek G. Socratez Yoman, has made a heartfelt plea to the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) for the release of pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens, who has been held hostage for nearly a year by the Free Papua Movement's armed faction.
Jayapura, Jubi – The recent Indonesia-Papua New Guinea Border Trade Show held from Friday, December 15 to Sunday, December 17, 2023 at the Skouw Wutung border received positive acclaim from residents.
Henry Kissinger died as the war on Gaza was building to apocalyptic heights. Did he ever regret his own role in Middle East power politics and his diplomatic efforts which cemented in Israel's occupation of Gaza and the West Bank?
Jayapura, Jubi – Frits Ramandey, the Head of the Papua Office of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM Papua), revealed that his office received 65 complaints concerning alleged human rights abuses in Papua from January to December 2023.
Jayapura, Jubi – Frits Ramandey, the Head of the Papua Office of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM Papua), highlighted the consistent stifling of citizens' freedoms by the state through police authorities in Papua.
Jayapura, Jubi – Thomas Ch Syufi, the Executive Director of the Papuan Observatory for Human Rights (POHR), has condemned the dispersal of the World Human Rights Day rally in Papua on December 10 as a threat to democracy and freedom of expression.
Jayapura, Jubi – Emanuel Gobay, the Director of the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua), called for law enforcement against officers involved in police brutality against the people who rallied during the World Human Rights Day in Manokwari.
Jakarta – Presidential frontrunner Prabowo Subianto has promised to grant amnesty to members of armed and separatist groups to end the conflict in Papua.
Sabrina Asril, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid has criticised the response by presidential candidate number 2.
Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – Presidential candidate number 2, Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Chairperson and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, says the conflict in Papua is complicated because of the separatist movement and foreign interference.
Jakarta – The intricate security situation in Papua emerged as a focal point in the presidential debate on Tuesday evening, leading to a heated exchange between Prabowo Subianto and Anies Baswedan.
Yashinta Difa P, Resinta Sulistiyandari, Jakarta – The government is preparing one million hectares of land in Papua for investors interested in building sugar factories to help Indonesia achieve sugar self-sufficiency, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said on Tuesday.
Jayapura, Jubi – The Democracy Alliance for Papua (AlDP) is pressuring the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) to release Philip Mark Mehrtens, a New Zealand pilot with Susi Air, who has been held captive by TPNPB since February 7, 2023.
Nabire, Jubi – Viktor Yeimo, the international spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), revealed his unsuccessful attempts to obtain a passport. Yeimo expressed that the Jayapura Immigration Office refused to issue him a passport as he has been barred by the National Police since December 2021.
Jayapura – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson Victor Yeimo says that the Jayapura immigration office has banned him from overseas travel (dicekal) and refuses to issue him a passport.
Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's National Police (Polri) Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo and Defense Forces (TNI) Commander General Agus Subiyanto attended a community service during their official visit to Papua Province on Friday, December 8, 2023.
Jayapura, Jubi – Mukry M Hamadi, Chairman of Commission A of the Jayapura City Council, emphasized the necessity for the Jayapura City Administration to have detailed information regarding the number and status of Indigenous Papuans.
"The government must compile data on Indigenous Papuans," he stated in Jayapura City on Thursday (7/12/2023).
On December 6, 2023, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) celebrated its 9th anniversary.
Wamena – Tens of Indigenous Papuan entrepreneurs and contractors in the Mountainous Papua Province protested at the Governor's office seeking assurances regarding job opportunities for Indigenous Papuans.
Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indigenous people in Indonesia's easternmost South Papua province have lambasted a court's decision to reject their lawsuit that seeks to overturn an environmental permit for a palm oil company to raze their ancestral forest.
Elisa Sekenyap, Jayapura – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson Victor Yeimo is asking the Indonesian government to stop the criminalisation of human rights activists Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti.
Reiner Brabar, Sorong – The gagging of democratic space that continues to occur in Indonesia shows the failure of claims that Indonesia is a democratic country. Democracy and human rights have suffered a decline, and even the right to civil space is shrinking with the curbing of freedom of expression.
Wamena, Jubi – Members of the Papuan People's Alliance in Sorong City, Southwest Papua, organized a rally on December 1, 2023, commemorating the Papuan people's political rights declaration on December 1, 1961. The event took place at Klademak III B or Achmad Yani Street, near Ramayana Mall Sorong City.
Jayapura, Jubi – The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has called for a peaceful commemoration of Papua's 62nd independence anniversary on December 1, 2023.
New Zealand's government should confront Indonesia over its alleged human rights violations in West Papua, human rights activists and West Papua independence activists in Aotearoa say.
The UN Human Rights Council has reported the human rights situation in West Papua has deteriorated, citing reports of torture and mass displacement.
Alexandro Rangga and Hipolitus Wangge – It has been almost ten months since the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) abducted New Zealand pilot Philip Merthens on 7 February 2023. There have still been no significant attempts by the Indonesian government to release him.
Jakarta – Scores of Papuan activists held an action in Central Jakarta on Friday December 1 at the Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat intersection. During the action they criticised a number of issues including the recent hunger crisis in Papua.
Yufengki Bria, Kupang – A protest action by scores Papuan students in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, has ended in chaos. The students were attacked and assaulted by an ormas (social or mass organisation) then arrested by police.
Makassar – Scores of university and Papuan students held a demonstration in front of the Papua student dormitory on Jalan Lanto Daeng Pasewang in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar on the morning of Friday December 1.
Aside from calling for Papuan independence, the students studying in Makassar also called for support for Palestine.