Jakarta – The governor of the government's policy think-tank the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas), Andi Widjajanto, says that the violence in Papua has tended to increase under the leadership of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has recorded that as of December 2022 as many as 60,642 civilians have been displaced – and 732 of these have died – as a consequence of the armed conflict between the TNI (Indonesian military) and the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Fatia Maulidiyanti says that the humanitarian pause negotiated by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has failed to provide a solution to the armed conflict in Papua.

Merauke, Jubi – Internet services in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, will be disrupted in the next week due to a shunt fault or injury to the sea cable communication system (SKKL) for the Sorong-Merauke section.

Jayapura, Jubi – Field coordinator in a protest defending Victor Yeimo Mully Kogoya said his party defended Victor Yeimo because he was a victim of racism accused of treason.

Meri Radinibaravi – Any human rights issues in West Papua must not be overshadowed by the fact that the country remains under the sovereignty of Indonesia.

These were the sentiments expressed by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape at a news conference in Suva yesterday.

Mirza Bagaskara, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) spokesman Ali Fikri said the Papua People's Assembly or MRP chairman Timotius Murib had undergone an examination on February 20, 2023. He said Murib was grilled over the alleged flow of funds in the graft case of Papua Governor Lukas Enembe.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Syena Ahoro Papua (SAPA) Foundation held a focus group discussion at the Papua Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDM) Hall in Jayapura City on Monday, February 20, 2023. The discussion was held to map the needs and development of human resources in Papua.

Manokwari, Jubi – The Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia, Rut Kruger Giverin, was welcomed by Indonesian Military (TNI) and police leaders, as well as West Papua Regional Leaders Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) at Rendani Airport, during a visit to Manokwari on Monday, February 20, 2023. The Norwegian Ambassador made a two-day visit to the capital of West Papua Province.

Hipolitus Wangge, Jakarta – The abduction of Susi Air pilot Phillip Mehrtens of New Zealand by the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB), the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement (OPM), in Paro district in the Papua highland regency of Nduga has received wide attention from within and outside Indonesia.

Papua independence movement leader Benny Wenda says the release of New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens held hostage by armed rebels is out of his hands.

The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) fighters kidnapped Mehrtens on February 7 after he landed a small commercial passenger plane in Nduga Regency.

Muhammad Aulia, Jayapura – Graft suspect Ricky Ham Pagawak, the regent of Central Mamberamo in Papua, was arrested on Sunday, seven months since he was put on the fugitive list.

Investigators of the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, arrested Ricky during a raid in the Abepura area in the provincial capital of Jayapura, KPK spokesman Ali Fikri said.

The Pacific Conference of Churches has concluded a series of meetings with Benny Wenda and other representatives of the united liberation movement of West Papua during his visit to Fiji.

Meri Radinibaravi – A West Papua delegation led by United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) president Benny Wenda, West Papua Interim Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Morris Kaloran and ULMWP secretary Rex Reinakiek is in the country to meet with the Fiji Government and lobby for their support for West Papua's full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

Jayapura, Jubi – In addition to Paro District, there were four other districts that were affected following the burning of Susi Air aircraft and the hostage-taking of Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens, 37, a New Zealand national, on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. Residents of Yuguru, Geselama, Yenggelo and Mapenduma districts fled their hometown.

Manokwari, Jubi – Three suspects of treason, Hellezvred Bezaliel Soleman Waropen, Andreas Sanggenafa, and Kostan Karlos Bonai have been handed over by Manokwari Police investigators to the Public Prosecutor of the Manokwari District Attorney's Office on Thursday, February 16, 2023.

Jayapura, Jubi – Hundreds of trucks from Jayapura to Wamena, Jayawijaya and Yalimo have been stuck in Welarek Village, Welarek District, Yalimo Regency over the past few months. Around 500 drivers cannot continue their journey to Wamena due to badly damaged road access.

They have been stuck around Welarek Village since November 2022.

Hilaire Bule – Former Vanuatu Prime Minister, Barak Sope and Interim President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Provisional government, Benny Wenda, have welcomed the comment of Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Ishmael Kalsakau, regarding the purported recruitment of Indonesian consultants into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat in Port Vila.

Len Garae – Prime Minister (PM) Ishmael Kalsakau has assured the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) Interim President, Mr. Benny Wenda, that as Executive Head of Government, he will follow the exact path that his predecessors had followed concerning the historical demand by ULMWP to be added on the forthcoming MSG Summit Agenda for full membership into the MSG.

Jayapura, Jubi – Four soldiers of the Raider 20/Ima Jaya Keramo Infantry Brigade, who were defendants in the murder and mutilation of four Nduga residents in Mimika Regency, were sentenced differently by the Military Court III-19 Jayapura.

Jayapura, Jubi – Head of the Campus Coalition for Papuan Democracy Marudut Hasugian said his team had conducted field research on politics of natural resource management and the livelihoods of indigenous peoples, especially Papuan women in changing situations.

Agencies – A military commander in Papua on Thursday said a "law enforcement operation" was being prepared to free a New Zealand pilot held hostage by separatists, but only as a last resort if negotiations failed.

Jakarta – Alas Papua has yet again come under international scrutiny amid the latest chapter in the violence that the country's easternmost territory has grappled with for decades.

David Robie – Papuan independence rebels are playing a desperate game of cat and mouse with Indonesian authorities over their hostage taking last week with a New Zealand pilot caught in the middle.

Jayapura, Jubi – The search for New Zealand Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens, who was taken hostage by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) led by Egianus Kogoya, has entered day eight.

Jakarta – Separatist rebels in Indonesia's restive Papua province have released photos and videos of a man they say is the pilot from New Zealand they took hostage last week.

Anne Barker – Independence fighters in Indonesia's Papua region have released videos and photos of a New Zealand pilot they are holding hostage, declaring them proof that he is still alive and well.

Jakarta – The Papua Police said on Wednesday it had sent a team to negotiate the release ofNew Zealand national Phillip Mehrtens, a Susi Air pilot who was being held hostage by an armed separatist group in the restive province.

Tria Dianti – Authorities in Indonesia's Papua will negotiate with separatist rebels to secure the release of a New Zealand pilot the insurgents took hostage last week, police and military officials said Wednesday.

Jayapura, Jubi – Three New Zealand diplomats and two staff of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs came to Timika, the capital of Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province on Monday, February 13, 2023. Their arrival was to monitor the progress of the search for a New Zealand citizen.

Jayapura, Jubi – Member of the Papua Legislative Council John NR Gobai calls on the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) to be objective in looking at the reports from the indigenous people of Mimika in Central Papua Province regarding the impact the mining waste of PT Freeport Indonesia.

A rebel group in Indonesia's Papua Province who abducted New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens says he is safe. The New Zealander, who worked as a pilot in the area, was kidnapped by the West Papua Liberation Army last week.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – Deputy V of the Presidential Staff Office, Jaleswari Pramodhawardhani, stated that the government has not yet declared a civil emergency in Papua, following the hostage-taking of Susi Air pilot Captain Philip Marten by the West Papua National Liberation Army Forces-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM).

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – The Central Executive Board of the West Papua National Committee (BPP-KNPB) is pushing the government to involve third parties in the effort to free Susi Air pilot Captain Philip Marten.

The New Zealand national pilot is presumably being held hostage by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM).

Jayapura, Jubi – Flash floods hit the Mile Point 74 concentrate processing plant of PT Freeport Indonesia in Tembagapura District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province on Saturday, February 11, 2023. The heavy rain on Saturday hit various materials in the area resulting in flash floods.

Jakarta – Copper and gold mining company Freeport Indonesia said on Sunday torrential rains have triggered a mudslide that swept through some parts of its mine in Tembagapura, Mimika Regency, Papua, and halted operations.

The rain on Saturday also damaged roads at the mining site, Freeport CEO Tony Wenas said in a statement.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has called for better safeguards for civilian flights into Papua after the recent abduction of a New Zealand pilot by rebel fighters, as a joint security team continues its search in the mountainous jungle region beset by conflict.

Yerica Lai and A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – Authorities have deployed a joint team to evacuate a foreign pilot who was allegedly taken hostage by separatist fighters in the restive Papua region on Tuesday, after their commercial plane was set on fire upon landing safely in the remote regency of Nduga.

Camellia Webb-Gannon – "Phil Mehrtens is the nicest guy, he genuinely is – no one ever had anything bad to say about him", says a colleague of the New Zealand pilot taken hostage this week by members of the West Papuan Liberation Army (TPN-PB) in the mountainous Nduga Regency.

Yogi Ernes, Jakarta – Non-active Papua governor Lukas Enembe has spoken out about the issue of Free Papua Organisation (OPM) figure Benny Wenda coming to his defense and allegations that money from his alleged corruption has flowed to the OPM.

Naufal Ridhwan, Jakarta – A spokesperson for one of Indonesia's most notorious separatist groups known as the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) Free Papua Movement (OPM), Sebby Sambom, in a written statement on February 7, explained the reason behind the recent hostage situation.

Jayapura, Jubi – Director of Jayapura's Dok 2 Regional General Hospital Anton Mote said about 300 inpatients were evacuated from the hospital after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. They are now being treated in tents set up on the hospital grounds.

Yogyakarta, Jubi – At least 700 residents fled to four different locations after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. This was stated by the Acting Head of the Center for Disaster Data, Information and Communication of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Abdul Muhari through a written statement on Thursday.

Maire Leadbeater – Sadly, however, it has taken the devastating hostage ordeal of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens to focus our attention on this hidden conflict in our region.

The hostage-taking occurred in the remote mountainous region of Nduga, an area which has been a war zone since late 2018.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Damal Student Association in Beoga District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province, has asked the local government to pay attention to the needs of the community regarding health services.

When Amanda Wamblolo was young, she never had any difficulties finding food.

Len Garae – Former Vanuatu Prime Minister (PM) Joe Natuman says allowing Indonesia (by former Prime Minister Mr. Sato Kilman) into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) was a mistake.

Lydia Lewis – A researcher at Human Rights Watch in Jakarta is calling for the immediate release of the hostages including a New Zealand pilot being held by a rebel group in Indonesia's Papua region.

The rebels in Highland Papua are threatening to execute Susi Air pilot Phillip Mehrtens if their demands are not met.

I want to offer my deepest sympathies to the friends and family of the New Zealand pilot taken hostage in Nduga. At the same time, the ULMWP Executive reiterates and reassures the New Zealand government and the world that we are to a peaceful, diplomatic approach.

Jayapura, Jubi – The leader of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) Ndugama-Derakma, Egianus Kogeya said his group burned down a Susi Air plane with call sign PK-BVY in Paro District, Nduga Regency, Mountainous Papua Province on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. TPNPB also confirmed that they had flagged down the pilot of the plane.