Lydia Lewis, Nuku'alofa, Tonga – West Papua is within the sovereignty of Indonesia, so responsibility lies with them in addressing independence demands, Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister, James Marape, says.
But the leader of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Benny Wenda, told RNZ Pacific the issue was not about sovereignty.
The case of Papuan journalist Victor Mambor, who was the victim of a Molotov bomb attack in early 2023, continues to be a source of controversy and concern. Despite multiple attempts to seek justice, the perpetrators of the attack remain at large.
The advocacy groups of the Catholic Church in Papua have urged the Indonesian government to protect civilians from violence in the predominantly Christian region.
Ronny Kareni & Dennis Kuiai – West Papua, arguably a trust-territory, has been embroiled in a prolonged struggle for freedom from colonial oppression. Its indigenous right to self-determination has been denied and undermined by international inaction, negligence and complicity.
A video showing a police officer assaulting an evangelist during his demonstration (individual speech) in front of the Biak Numfor Resort Police Office has gone viral and has caused significant public concern and led to immediate actions by the authorities.
Some of the conflicts in Papua stem from illegal operations by companies that have failed to involve the customary land rights owners. A prominent example is the operation of PT Zoomlion in Kapiraya District, Central Papua Province. This issue urgently requires intervention from the Central Papua Provincial Government.
Another case of extrajudicial killing occurred in the town of Dekai, Yahukimo District, Papua Pegunungan Province, on 20 August 2024. Mr Tobias Silak,23, a staff member at the local Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), was fatally shot by members of the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) at a guard post near the airport entrance.
Recent findings highlight the ongoing use of treason charges to suppress peaceful activism in Papua, raising significant concerns over the infringement of fundamental human rights.
Harry Pearl, Brisbane – Papua New Guinea's media council has condemned as "concerning" and "shameful" the exclusion of a BenarNews journalist from media events during a visit by Indonesia's President-elect to the capital Port Moresby on Wednesday.
Indonesia, West Papua – Every year, West Papuans come together to commemorate the2019 West Papua Uprising and the New York Agreement of 1962 signed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Indonesia regarding the administration of the territory of Western New Guinea under mediation of the United States of America.
In a statement from Department of Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia and his counterpart His Excellency Prabowo Subianto, Minister for Defence of the Republic of Indonesia, announced the conclusion of negotiations to upgrade the Australia-Indonesia Defence Cooperation Arrangement to a treaty level agreement at a meeting in
Indonesia's incoming president Prabowo Subianto is in Australia. From there, Subianto, a former army general, will return to Jakarta via Port Moresby.
General Subianto says it's a reciprocal trip to honour PNG Prime Minister James Marape's visit to Indonesia in recent times.
Larius Kogoya, Sentani – Leading members of the West Papua Council of Churches (WPCC) consider the installation of banners celebrating the 79th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, which used the names of church figures and WPCC leaders, as a strategy by the state to cover up violence and silence of freedom of expression in Papua.
Ikhsan Reliubun, Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Organization of Free Papua (TPNPB-OPM) stated that there will be an award given to the health workers to coincide with the celebration of Independence Day or the 79th Anniversary of Indonesia.
Nabire – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) member Gerson Pigai says that 101 KNPB activists who took part in demonstrations and were arrested by the Nabire District Police (Polres) on Thursday morning, August 15, including three others who were arrested prior to this for handing out leaflets, have now all been released and returned home.
Victor Mambor, Jayapura, Indonesia – Indonesian security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes with protestors marking the 62nd anniversary of a U.N. agreement that paved the way for Jakarta's annexation of the Papua region.
Jakarta – The prolonged abduction of Susi Air pilot Phillip Mehrtens and the killing of another pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, in strife-torn Papua, are unjustifiable criminal acts.
Kidnapping and killing will not bring any good to the Papuan people, who have been longing for peace and prosperity. The acts of violence will instead worsen the hard life facing many Papuans.
Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – The Cartenz Peace Operation has issued a Wanted List for five alleged perpetrators behind the murder of Glen Malcolm Conning, the New Zealand helicopter pilot for PT Intan Angkasa Air Service.
The five perpetrators are allegedly members of the armed criminal group led by Perek Jelas Kogoya, headquartered in Yuguru, Nduga Regency.
Alfred Pagepitu – The President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Benny Wenda, visited the country to seek support for their application for full membership into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
On Tuesday, Mr. Wenda met with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele to discuss issues related to West Papua's MSG membership.
Activists from the West Papua National Committee or the KNPB returned to the streets for their 14th action on Thursday August 15, to commemorate the 1962 New York Agreement, the day when power over West Papua was transferred from the Netherlands to Indonesia.
A contentious legal dispute has emerged in the Sorong Regency, Papua Barat Daya Province, involving PT Mancaraya Agro Mandiri (MAM), a subsidiary of the Manca Group, and the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) Malamoi.
The 15 August marks 62 years since The New York Agreement and West Papuans are still suffering under Indonesian colonial rule. Yes, most of the world recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua at this stage but most also would recognise that the so called act of free choice in 1969 was a sham.
The New York Agreement
Despite being mineral-rich, conflict-torn Christian-majority region among the poorest and most underdeveloped provinces
Yuliana Langowuyo hopes that Pope Francis will remember to speak about the ongoing rights violations and injustices in the restive Papua region when he visits Indonesia next month.
Exclusive by foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Fiji reporter Lice Movono – Fiji's prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, says he will "apologise" to fellow Melanesian leaders later this month after failing to secure agreement from Indonesia to visit its restive West Papua province.
Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – As many as 24 Papua's cultural agencies and observers rejected the move to relocate some original Papuan archaeological objects to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) office at the Cibinong Science Center, West Java.
The relocation is considered a form of eliminating the history of indigenous Papuans.
Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) is urging the Nabire District Police Chief (Kapolres) to release four KNPB activists who were arrested when they were handing out leaflets on Monday August 12 for a protest action on August 15 to commemorate the New York Agreement.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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).
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.