A provincial government in West Papua has launched a campaign to promote fish consumption among school students to help overcome the condition, which is generally caused by poor nutrition.
The Antara news agency quotes governor George Yarangga saying this is an extension of a programme that has been used in other parts of Indonesia for nearly 20 years.
An Australian advocacy group in support of West Papuan self-determination has criticised the Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders for failing to grant West Papua full membership in the organisation at last week's summit in Port Vila.
Yamin Kogoya – The Jakarta District Court heard the case of alleged bribery and gratification against suspended Papua governor Lukas Enembe on Monday with evidence from expert witnesses saying that an audit showed records to be "clean and accurate".
The hearing was convened to hear the testimony of three expert witnesses on the allegations against Governor Enembe.
Len Garae, Port Vila – The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has failed West Papua, says a Vanuatu government champion of West Papuan self-determination.
In spite of again being denied full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has welcomed the call from the MSG Leaders' Summit in Port Vila last week for Indonesia to allow the long-awaited visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to West Papua.
Timika, Jubi – The families of the murder and mutilation victims in Mimika Regency expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision made by the Appellate Judges Panel of the Surabaya High Military Court III, which reduced the sentence for Maj. Inf. Helmanto Fransiskus Dakhi, the defendant, from life imprisonment to 15 years in jail.
Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) led by Benny Wenda presented a false report on the situation in Papua at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Summit, forcing Indonesia to walk out of the forum.
Jayapura, Jubi – Tropical glaciers in Papua are predicted to vanish within the next three years. The melting of the glacier on Puncak Jaya, the highest peak in Indonesia at 4,884 meters, is being accelerated by this year's El Nino phenomenon.
Grant Wyeth – Last week the 22nd Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Leaders' Summit was held in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The MSG is a regional body that includes Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea as well as the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), an alliance of pro-independence political parties in New Caledonia.
A one-year moratorium has been placed on Indonesia's application to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
Prime Minister James Marape said this was so that Pacific Island Forum could address the West Papua issue and specifically human rights allegations in the province.
Doddy Morris, Port Vila – The controversial multimilion dollar funding that Indonesia is providing to Vanuatu comes in response to a request made by the Vanuatu government, says the Indonesian Ambassador of Indonesia to Vanuatu and Australia.
A West Papuan leader has condemned the Melanesian Spearhead Group for abandoning the West Papuan cause in favour of a "corrupt alliance" with Indonesia.
Jeffrey P Bomanak, chairman of the Free Papua Organisation (OPM), declared last week's MSG Leaders' Summit ruling on West Papua a "betrayal" of the Papuan people and called for the regional group to be dissolved.
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.
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.
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.
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 – 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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.