Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker – The democratic world of the G7 to China all view Indonesia in the prism of geopolitics. Accordingly, the indigenous West Papuans face endless Javanese colonialism at the hands of Indonesia.

Stephen Dziedzic and Birtles Bill – The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) had been pressing to gain full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) – which includes Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea – in what would have given the organisation a rare diplomatic victory in its search for international recognition.

David Robie – The Melanesian Spearhead Group has thrown away a golden chance for achieving a historical step towards justice and peace in West Papua by lacking the courage to accept the main Papuan self-determination advocacy movement as full members.

Kelvin Anthony, Port Vila – The leaders of five Melanesian countries and territories avoided a definitive update on the status of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua's application for full membership in Port Vila.

Onoy Lokobal, Wamena – The Republic of Indonesia delegation, who are taking part in the 22nd Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Leaders Summit (KTT) in Port Vila, the capital city of Vanuatu, staged a "walkout" during a session on Wednesday August 23.

Jayapura, Jubi – Greenpeace Indonesia calls on the Papua Provincial Government to make a commitment to a low-carbon development strategy in Papua. The organization emphasizes that the government's dedication is pivotal to ensure the sustainability and preservation of Papua's natural forests.

Jayapura, Jubi – An attack resulting in the tragic death of a Marine soldier occurred in Kampung Baru, Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Mountainous Papua Province on Monday, August 21, 2023. The attack, allegedly done by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), targeted the Border Security Task Force Post of Yon 7 Marines.

Sentani, Jubi – Yulius Kekri, the chief of Muaif Village, has made a formal request to the local Education Office to suspend the salaries of nine teachers with civil servant status who are employed at Muaif State Elementary School in Demta District, Jayapura Regency. These teachers have not fulfilled their responsibilities, prompting the request from the village chief.

Aprila Wayar – As Indonesian forces continue their manhunt for a New Zealand pilot taken hostage by Papuan resistance fighters in February, the chances of his peaceful release are growing slimmer – and the governments involved are slowly waking up to the reality that the warning signs were there, but were ignored.

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Former Jakarta governor and presidential hopeful from the Coalition for Change and Unity (KPP), Anies Baswedan, says that the solution to the armed conflict in Papua is policies that create to a sense of justice.

Jayapura, Jubi – Greenpeace Indonesia's Forest Campaigner Nico Wamafma said that during the period 2000-2020, Papua had lost natural forests of 641,400 hectares. Greenpeace's research shows that this deforestation occurred due to the increasingly massive licensing of land-based extractive industries that damage the rights of indigenous peoples.

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins
Prime Minister
Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
n.mahuta@ministers.govt.nz; c.hipkins@ministers.govt.nz

18 August 2023

Kia ora Prime Minister Hipkins and Minister Mahuta,

Catholic activists have called on Indonesian government to probe and ensure justice after a rights group released a report detailing military atrocities that displaced thousands of villagers and led to deaths due to hunger and diseases in Christian-majority Papua region.

Evarukdijati, Kenzu, Jayapura, Papua – Papua Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri, stated that the ceremony of the 78th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence in Papua went safely despite an incident having occurred in Nduga on August 16.

A chilling new report by a German-based human rights watchdog has exposed indiscriminate attacks by Indonesian security forces on indigenous West Papuan villages, highlighting an urgent need for international action.

Pizaro Gozali Idrus, Jakarta – Indonesian security forces may have committed crimes against humanity during counter-insurgency operations in the restive Papua region in 2021, a Germany-based human rights group said in a report released Thursday.

Kelvin Anthony – The Pacific region's focus will shift briefly to Port Vila next week when Vanuatu hosts the heads of governments from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and the leader of the FLNKS of New Caledonia for the 22nd Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders' Summit.

Ceremony, Jakarta – Papuans are like the 'invisible man', referring to the title of Ralph Ellison's novel about the marginalization of African-Americans in the 20th century. Sophie Chao, an Indonesianist from the University of Sydney, Australia, also uses this term when concluding that the voices of the Papuan people are continually ignored.

At least 20 people were wounded when police used batons, water cannon and tear gas to disperse hundreds of people who joined rallies in Indonesia's West Papua region on the 61st anniversary of an agreement that made the territory part of Indonesia, news agencies report.

Jayapura, Jubi – Greenpeace Indonesia Forest Campaigner Nico Wamafma says it takes commitment from the central government and local governments in Papua to protect Papua's natural forests. Currently, the remaining natural forests in Papua are 34.4 million hectares.

Leo Earle, West Papua – This week, Indonesians commemorate their independence from Dutch colonialism, on August 17, 1945. West Papuans also commemorate their six-decade-long struggle for independence this week on August 15.

At least 20 people were injured when police used batons, water cannon and tear gas to disperse hundreds of people who joined rallies in Indonesia's restive Papua region on the 61st anniversary of an agreement that made the region part of Indonesia.

Jayapura, Jubi – On Friday, August. 11, 2023, the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force, in collaboration with the Yahukimo Police, arrested three suspected individuals associated with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) within the Mountainous Papua Province's Yahukimo Regency.

Jayapura – After a peaceful action in Sentani was forcibly broken up by police on the morning of August 15, demonstrators from the Jayapura West Papua National Committee (KNPB) decided to hold a free speech forum at the Zakeus field in Pandang Bulan, Abepura, Jayapura, Papua,

Agus Pabika, Sentani – One person was arrested and scores of others beaten black and blue by a joint unit of police and military when they forcibly broke up a peaceful action by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in the Sentani area of Jayapura regency, Papua, on the morning of Tuesday August 15.

Jakarta – The government says residents of Puncak regency, Central Papua, have returned to their normal activities following the distribution of tonnes of food aid to the area.

People residing in Agandugume and Lambewi districts in Puncak had been scrambling for food due to a drought and cold snap hitting the area since June.

Timika, Jubi – Since 1972, PT Freeport Indonesia's mining operations in Mimika, Central Papua have transformed mountains into giant ravines, pulverizing mineral-rich rocks and depositing the resulting waste, known as tailings, into rivers.

Again, West Papuan National Committee (KNPB) activists were arrested simply because they were handing out flyers calling on West Papuans to commemorate the tragic day in their history, the 15 August in 1962 when the Papuan people were betrayed by the international community.

An Australian West Papuan solidarity group has condemned the reported arrest of 21 activists protesting in Jayapura over a "tragic day in history" and called on Canberra to urge Jakarta to restrain its security forces.

The human rights abuses against indigenous Papuans, who have been under military occupation of the Indonesian armed forces since 1962-63 and their fight for independence from Jakarta, remains a sticking point for the I

Jayapura, Jubi – On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, students, youth, and local communities in Jayapura City joined to commemorate the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The event included religious ceremonies, speeches, signing of declarations, discussions, and a luncheon.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has called again for the immediate release of Phillip Mehrtens, who has now been held hostage in West Papua for six months.

Speaking in Auckland, Hipkins said Mehrtens – a pilot who was helping provide air links to remote communities in Papua – is a much-loved husband, brother, father and son.

Jayapura, Jubi – Three students were found guilty of treason and subsequently given a 10-month prison term by the panel of judges at the Jayapura District Court on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has called for the release of a Kiwi pilot kidnapped six months ago by separatists in Indonesia's Papua region.

New Zealander Phillip Mehrtens was working for Indonesian airline Susi Air when he was snatched by rebels at Nduga airport in February.

Antara, Jakarta – The Head of Papua Regional Police Department Inspector General of Police Mathius Fakhiri said that the location of Susi Air's pilot who was held hostage is situated in a nearly inaccessible area.

Timika, Jubi – Since 1972, PT Freeport Indonesia's mining operations in Mimika, Central Papua have transformed mountains into giant ravines, pulverizing mineral-rich rocks and depositing the resulting waste, known as tailings, into rivers.

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Mathius Fakhiri has reported that Philip Mark Mehrtens, the Susi Air Pilot of New Zealand who has been held captive by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) since February 7, 2023, remains in good health.

Julie Wark – A West Papuan friend has just sent me a new documentary (please watch it, reader). It's called Paradise Bombed and it's about what happened when burning metal death rained down on Kiwirok, one of the most remote places on earth in October 2021.

Craig Harris – How do you get world attention for a cause to help save your culture? The freedom fighters of West Papua are asking that very question.

On February 7, 2023, 37-year-old Phil Mehrtens, a New Zealand pilot, was kidnapped by the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the Free Papua Organization.

Jayapura, Jubi – In the two years following the attack by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) on the Military Post in Maybrat Regency's Kisor, that resulted in the reported deaths of four Indonesian Military (TNI) members, a significant number of individuals who had evacuated from five districts within Maybrat ever since the incident continued to opt for staying in multi

Budiarti Putri (Greenpeace) – It was not until I went on a field trip to the traditional lands of the Auyu People (also written as Awyu in the Indonesian language) last June that I appreciated just how remote many of their settlements are, deep in the territory known internationally as West Papua, just across from the border with Papua New Guinea.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – The Chairman of Papua's Commission on Human Rights Frits Ramandey said that the leader of OPM (Free Papua Movement) Egianus Kogoya has guaranteed the safety of Susi Air Pilot Captain Phillips Max Mehrtens during the hostage situation. The captain has been held hostage by OPM for eight months from February this year.

John Martinkus – As anyone who has ever visited West Papua knows, you can barely leave the airport before someone starts talking about independence.

It could be the guy at customs, the cab driver, the bloke who sells you a coffee.

A new documentary and human rights report have documented savage attacks in 2021 by Indonesian security forces on a remote West Papuan village close to the Papua New Guinea border as part of an ongoing crackdown against growing calls for independence.

Samira Homerang Saunders – Since the colonial era, West Papuans have been engaged in a long struggle for their independence and freedom from outside rule, first as a Dutch colony, and then, in a rather complex and underhanded turn of events, as an indigenous land occupied by Indonesia.

Antara, Jakarta – The government planned to build food estate in Puncak District, Central Papua, in an effort to anticipate famine caused by drought and periodic frost phenomena in the region.

Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin convened on Wednesday an emergency meeting at his private residence in Central Jakarta to discuss the monthslong drought in Papua, which has claimed six lives so far.

Jayapura, Jubi – Three Papuan students from Mataram University were banned from taking photos and escorted off the campus area after they were spotted holding the Morning Star posters at the graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Law in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara Province.

The island that comprises Papua New Guinea and Indonesian ruled West Papua, is the largest island in the Pacific, with some of the widest cultural and linguistic diversity, biodiversity, and home to some of the largest mineral deposits in the world such as copper and gold.

Yamin Kogoya – An Indonesian court has held a hearing to consider whether the ailing suspended Papua Governor, Lukas Enembe, is well enough to go on trial for the allegations of bribery and gratification that he is facing.