On 15 May 2026, Indigenous landowners from the Kwipalo clan reportedly confronted workers of PT Murni Nusantara Mandiri (MNM) in Muchikai Hamlet, Jagebob District, Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, after the company allegedly continued clearing customary land belonging to the clan.

On 23 May 2026, members of the Kamuyen indigenous community reportedly maintained a peaceful blockade (pemalangan salib) against the construction of a 135-kilometre road project crossing their customary land in Nakias Village, Ngguti District, Merauke Regency, South Papua Province.

A pregnant indigenous woman, Mrs Melkiana Duwitau, 31, was killed after a bullet penetrated the wall of her home in the J2 area of Wandoga Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, on 2 July 2026. The incident occurred amid an exchange of gunfire in and around Sugapa.

July 6, 1998, was a dark moment for the people of Papua. Exactly 28 years ago, Papuan people gathered at the Biak City Health Centre Water Tower (now Biak Numfor regency) to express their political aspirations and their hope for the right to self-determination.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Executive Director of the Papua Human Rights and Justice Foundation (YKKMP) Theo Hesegem has urged Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to reevaluate the policy of deploying non-organic troops to Papua. According to him, the security approach is unable to solve the Papua problem.

Andrew Mathieson – Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights has called on the country's President, Prabowo Subianto, to conduct a review of security operations for possible new rules of engagement for military and security personnel deployed across West Papua.

Prime Minister [PM] Hon. Matthew Wale has called on the Government of Indonesia to take constructive steps toward reducing tensions in West Papua.

This includes the consideration of demilitarization measures and the establishment of an inclusive and credible dialogue process.

On the 6th July in 1988, the Indonesian security forces massacred scores of people in Biak, West Papua. The victims, included women and children who had gathered for a peaceful rally. They were killed at the base of a water tower flying the Morning Star flag.

Tim Swanston and Ari Wu, Indonesia – A video obtained by the ABC shows a dramatic operation by the Indonesian military to recover the body of an American pilot, shot dead by Papuan separatists in the restive province of the Papua Highlands.

An evangelist and a teenager were shot dead, and two young men were injured in separate military operations in Indonesia's Papua, prompting the local regent to strip off his official uniform in a public protest and drawing a rare rebuke from the country's human rights minister.

Indonesia, West Papua – Human rights defenders, victims' families, lawyers and civil society organisations continue to raise concerns over persistent impunity for alleged human rights violations committed by Indonesian security forces in West Papua.

Fears of yet another escalation in military conflict in Indonesia's Papua region have risen after an American pilot flying a small aircraft into a remote airstrip in Highland Papua province was killed by West Papuan militants.

Larius Kogoya, Jayapura, Jubi – Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) ham called on President Prabowo Subianto to conduct a comprehensive review of security operations and rules of engagement for military and security personnel deployed across Papua, particularly in conflict-affected areas.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has recovered the body of an American pilot who was shot dead by rebels in the restive eastern region of Papua, it said on Friday after a separatist group said the attack was a "message" to the US and Indonesian governments.

Johnny Blades – Indonesia has defended the high number of military personnel it has deployed to West Papua, which dwarves the size of deployments to others parts of the republic.

But under Indonesian president Subianto Prabowo, a former military strongman, militarisation of Papua is changing gears and being shaped by a type of warfare that includes drone technology.

Responding to the killing of US pilot Nicholas F. Goselin in Yahukimo Regency, Highland Papua Province, by the Papuan pro-independence armed group (TPNPB-OPM), Amnesty International Indonesia's Executive Director Usman Hamid said:

Larius Kogoya, Jayapura, Jubi – A car carrying the leader of the Catholic Church's Moni-Puncak Deanery, Father Yance Yogi, Pr, was shot at in Titigi Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua, on Monday (6/29/2026). Inside the vehicle were also a number of congregants and workers building the Titigi bridge.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – More than 100 Indigenous Papuan women traders spent the night outside the Southwest Papua Governor's Office in Sorong, demanding that Governor Elisa Kambu fulfill promises made more than a year ago to support their businesses.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – A foreign pilot was killed after an Indonesian pioneer aircraft was set on fire by unidentified assailants after landing at a remote airstrip in Indonesia's eastern Papua Highlands province on Thursday, authorities said.

Jayapura – Presidential Special Adviser for Labor and Workers' Welfare Said Iqbal has raised the unresolved dismissal of thousands of employees of PT Freeport Indonesia with Indonesia's Minister of Manpower, Yassierli.

Jayapura – Two teenagers in Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua Province, identified as Daud Hagismijau and Kiko Hagismijau, were reportedly shot on Monday (29/6/2026).

The two teenagers were reportedly shot in Titigi Village, Sugapa District, while working with local residents on the construction of the St. Francis Xavier Titigi Catholic Church.

Jayapura – The West Papua National Liberation Army, known as TPNPB, has claimed responsibility for the death of an Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) soldier, Private First Class (Praka) Bayu Oktara, in Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua, on Saturday (27/6/2026).

Royce Kurmelovs – A sugar research organisation funded by the Australian government is under scrutiny for its links to an Indonesian company allegedly involved in forcibly displacing Indigenous people and widespread deforestation in West Papua.

Indigenous Byak communities in Saukobye (Warbon) Village, North Biak District, Biak Numfor Regency, carried out a series of peaceful customary actions during June 2026 to oppose Indonesia's planned National Spaceport.

CR18, Wamena, Jubi – The dry season that has hit Kuyawage District, Lanny Jaya Regency, Papua Highlands Province throughout June 2026 has caused agricultural and plantation lands to dry out and suffer crop failures.

A civilian was reportedly arbitrarily detained during a joint TNI – POLRI operation in Dekai Town, Yahukimo Regency, on 19 June 2026. According to information received by Human Rights Monitor, security forces raided a house behind GIDI Braza Church, damaged household property, and arrested Bonusi Kobak. His whereabouts remained unknown at the time of reporting.

Jayapura – The Central Papua Provincial Government (Pemprov) is working to harmonize legal policies between the provincial government and regency governments within its jurisdiction, in order to strengthen effective, accountable governance that is oriented toward the interests of the community – particularly indigenous Papuans (OAP).

Duncan Graham – West Papua's Indigenous communities are using hundreds of red crosses as symbols of resistance against rainforest destruction, land-grabbing and militarised development, as Indonesian authorities try to suppress a documentary exposing the damage.

Adlu Raharusun, Manokwari, Jubi – The presence of the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (Satgas PKH) in Teluk Bintuni Regency, West Papua Province, has come under criticism after an activist said it has failed to protect Indigenous land rights.

An Indigenous Papuan woman was reportedly subjected to conflict-related sexual violence by members of the Indonesian security forces in the Kali Biru area of Dekai Town, Yahukimo Regency, on 19 June 2026.

On 24 June 2026, joint security force members arbitrarily detained indigenous Papuan, Mr Paskalis Pogau, in the centre of Sugapa Town, Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua Province. According to local sources, Mr Pogau is a civilian motorbike taxi driver who regularly provides transport services to residents in Sugapa.

TAPOL is greatly concerned by intimidation surrounding the release of the documentary film 'Pig Feast: Colonialism in our Age' (Pesta Babi: Kolonialisme di Zaman Kita). With millions of views online, it has raised the issue of West Papua like almost nothing else before it.

On 17 June 2026, 20-year-old indigenous Yosan Suhuniap was reportedly tortured and subsequently executed after being captured by joint security force personnel in Dekai, Yahukimo Regency. The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) admitted that Mr Suhuniap was affiliated with the Kodap XVI Yahukimo command, holding the position as a major.

Kayla Hill – Marred by lawsuits, deepfakes, kidnapping, and state raids of screenings, Pesta Babi, or 'Pig Feast', has been a contentious film with a dramatic reception.

A 19-year-old civlian, Mr Makelon Majau, was reportedly injured during alleged Indonesian military drone strikes targeting Balamai Village in Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya Regency, on 22 June 2026. According to multiple local sources, the strikes were not preceded by an armed clash between Indonesian security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).

Dozens of young Papuans took to the streets to protest further expansion of the state-backed food and energy projects that they say threaten the ancestral land and livelihood of thousands of indigenous people.

A woman sustained critical injuries after allegedly being struck by a motorcycle ridden by two members of the Yahukimo District Police in Dekai, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, on 3 May 2026. The victim, Mrs Nelly Wenda (see photo on top, source: independent HRD), was reportedly hit while walking along Route 1.

On 29 April 2026, members of the Cartenz Peacekeeping Special Police Unit reportedly arrested Mr Natan Heluka, 21, at Kilo 4, Dekai, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan province.

Indonesian military personnel (TNI) allegedly entered the private residence (pastoran) of the Three Kings Cathedral (Katedral Tiga Raja) in Timika without authorisation during security operations surrounding the visit of the Vice President of Indonesia, Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Maeve Larkins spoke to two members of Yayasan Pusaka Bentala Rakyat, an activist group based in West Papua, about the Indonesian government's National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke, a region in the south of West Papua.

A 12-year-old boy, Yosua Segenil, was allegedly arbitrarily arrested by members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) on 2 May 2026, at approximately 3:00 pm on Jalan Kurima (Kali Biru) in Dekai, Yahukimo Regency.

Larius Kogoya, Jayapura, Jubi – Dozens of young Papuans affiliated with Papuan Generation Z (Gen Z Papua) staged a Red-Cross march on Sunday (June 21, 2026), expressing their opposition to National Strategic Projects (PSN) in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, as well as several other issues affecting Papua.

Erwin Renaldi and Seni Iasona – When Koteka Wenda stumbled across an AI-generated video of her circulating on social media, she was shocked.

In the video, she was speaking out against a documentary that has become the subject of fierce debate.

"The resemblance of my likeness is so sinister," she told the ABC. "I felt like me and my people were violated."

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – The personnel of the Indonesian Police's Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force captured a member of the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) with the initials AB a.k.a. UB. The police suspect AB to be a member of the Heluk Battalion, Seng, Sulo Baliem, Indol, or HSSBI.

Emanuel Riberu, Merauke, Jubi – The Class II Immigration Office at Merauke Border Control (TPI) has deported an Australian national who had previously served an immigration-related prison sentence in Merauke, South Papua.

Two other foreign nationals remain in immigration detention as they do not possess valid passports or verifiable proof of citizenship.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) has voiced concern over what it describes as a worsening military and humanitarian crisis in Papua during the period from May to June 2026.

Aida Ulim, Jayapura, Jubi – Members of the Indigenous Hebeibulu Tribe from Yoka Village, Heram District, Jayapura City, Papua, who claim customary ownership rights over the land, blocked the entrance gate of the Jayapura Central General Hospital (RSUP Jayapura) in Abepura District on Thursday.

On 5 June 2026, a group of environmental activists in South Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua province, were allegedly subjected to intimidation, threats and one incident of physical assault following a peaceful World Environment Day protest at the South Sorong Regent's Office.

On the evening of 7 May 2026, students and civil society organisations gathered at the Student Activity Centre (Pusat Kegiatan Mahasiswa/PKM) of the University of Mataram to hold a public screening of the documentary Pesta Babi – Colonialism in Our Time, followed by a public discussion.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – The Jayapura Regency Environmental Agency (DLH) and the Papua Program of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia have invited various community groups to raise awareness about the triple planetary crisis through social media, including the often-overlooked issue of food waste.