Theo Kelen, Jayapura, Jubi – A total of 476,534 indigenous children in Papua and West Papua provinces do not attend school, says data from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) for Papua and West Papua.

Kizzy Kalsakau and Jason Abel in Port Vila – The interim President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) provisional government, Benny Wenda, has condemned Indonesia for the arrest and torture of eight students, and appeals to Melanesian countries to support their plea.

Alexander Loen, Jayapura, Jubi – The agenda on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic must also favor the interests and needs of Indigenous Peoples, Ministry of Education and Culture's director-general of Culture Hilmar Farid says.

Chris McCall, Yapsi, Papua New Guinea – Wiro Nongganop says he commands a battalion of West Papua independence fighters, but he has no guns, only bows and arrows, and lives in exile in a bark hut, sometimes surviving on potato leaves.

Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific journalist – Armed conflict in West Papua continues to claim lives, displace tens of thousands of people and cause resentment at Indonesian rule.

But despite ongoing calls for help, neighbouring countries in the Pacific Islands region remain largely silent and ineffectual in their response.

Theo Kelen, Jayapura, Jubi – At least 366 elementary school students in Jayapura Regency, Papua cannot read, a recent survey by Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) says.

Education Team Leader of WVI for Sentani Marthen Sambo said the results were obtained from a survey conducted in 78 elementary schools across 15 districts in Jayapura Regency from October 11 to 29, 2021.

Yance Agapa, Jayapura – Responding to the United Nation's 2021 annual report, Indonesia has launched a criticism of the UN in relation to cases of human rights violations in Papua.

The United Nations says Indonesia must immediately drop charges and look into threats, intimidation and reprisals against human rights defender Veronica Koman and her family.

Yance Agapa, Jayapura – The Papuan people reject the investigation team formed by the state through the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to investigate alleged gross human rights violations in Paniai on December 8, 2004.

Johnny Blades – Armed conflict in West Papua continues to claim lives, displace tens of thousands of people and cause resentment at Indonesian rule.

But despite ongoing calls for help, neighbouring countries in the Pacific Islands region remain largely silent and ineffectual in their response.

Theo Kelen, Jayapura, Jubi – In the past ten years, 700,000 hectares of Papua's forests have been damaged, Forest and Plantation Campaign Manager of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) Uli Arta Siagian said.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – Tens of residents of Kisor Village, South Aifat District, Maybrat Regency who have been displaced since September, returned to their village on December 9, 2021, though it was only for a few hours to collect some of their stuff and day-to-day needs and take it with them to the refugee camps.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A court in Indonesia has rejected a bid by two palm oil companies to have their permits restored after they were scrapped by local authorities for a litany of violations.

For the Indigenous peoples whose territory fell within the companies' concessions, the ruling offers a rare chance to finally have their land rights officially recognized.

Reiner Brabar, Jayapura – Throughout the leadership of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, the agenda of upholding human rights has not seen any change. One of the indicators of this is the failure to resolve cases of past gross human rights violations in Papua.

Yuliana Lantipo, Jayapura, Jubi – The Ruang Damai Foundation and the Women's Coalition to Save Papuan Humans held an online discussion titled "Women Can Do Anything" on Wednesday, December 8, 2021. This webinar is part of a series of activities for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence in Papua.

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – Coinciding with the commemoration of International Human Rights Day on December 10, the Jayapura city Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) have launched the Papua Legal Aid Association for the Press (Perkumpulan Bantuan Hukum Pers Tanah Papua, PBHPTP).

Theo Kelen, Jayapura, Jubi – The central government must trust the regional government to manage the Papua Special Autonomy (Otsus) Fund to build human resources, the economy, and empower Papuan people, said head of the West Papua Regional Development Planning Agency Dance Sangkek.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura, Jubi – The Papuan Church Council on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, for the umpteenth time, asked President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to fulfill his promise to seek a peaceful Papua.

Johnny Blades – A Polish man imprisoned by an Indonesian court in 2018 after visiting West Papua as a tourist remains languishing in a cell in Papua's remote interior with limited help from the government of Poland, and no compassion from Jakarta.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – Lawmaker of the Papua Legislative Council's Commission for Political Administration, Law, and Human Rights Laurenzus Kadepa said that the state must prove its commitment to resolving alleged gross human rights violations in Papua's Paniai Regency on December 7 and 8, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Jubi – The head of the Follow-up Team for the Investigation of Gross Human Rights Violations of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), Amiruddin, has called on the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to investigate the Paniai incident in a transparent manner, in order to foster public trust.

Jakarta, Jubi – Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has ensured that the alleged gross human rights violations in Paniai, Papua, would be held according to law, now that the Attorney General's Office (AGO) has appointed 22 prosecutors to investigate the case.

Reiner Brabar, Aimas – Supporting the regional government's plan to revoke the business permits of three palm oil companies, at least 53 organisations have decided to spend the night at the Sorong Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) office in West Papua province.

An Indonesian court has delivered a landmark victory for Indigenous rights in a case that pitted West Papuan activists against several palm oil companies.

An application by the United Liberation Movement of West Papua to become a full member of Melanesian Spearhead Group has been re-activated.

Last year, the ULMWP announced itself as a provisional government in exile for West Papua, as it pushes for a referendum on independence from Indonesia.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is urging the Attorney General's Office (AGO) investigation team which is to investigate alleged gross human rights violations during the Paniai incident in Papua to question former TNI (Indonesian military) chief Moeldoko.

Yamin Kogoya – This past week marked 60 years since West Papua declared independence on 1 December 1961.

Around the world, Papuans and solidarity groups commemorated this national day in melancholic spirits – the weight of that fateful day carries courage and pride, but also great suffering and betrayal.

Jakarta, Jubi – The Attorney General's Office of Indonesia has established a team to investigate alleged human rights violations in Paniai, Papua in 2014.

Hilaire Bule – Apart from the national government, SHEFA Provincial Government Council (SPGC) is the first provincial authority in Vanuatu to recognize Mr. Benny Wenda as the interim president of a provisional West Papuan government.

The official recognition was made by SPGC Secretary General (SG), Morris Kaloran to mark West Papua Day on December 1, 2021.

Vanuatu's Shefa province is recognising Benny Wenda as the interim president of a provisional West Papuan government.

In a country that has historically been the most vocal in support of West Papuan self-determination rights, Shefa province is the first authority in the country to officially recognise an independent West Papua government.

Eight Papuan students who have been detained and charged with treason by police for peacefully expressing their political opinions on 1 December must be immediately released, Amnesty International Indonesia and Amnesty International Australia said today.

Papua New Guinea's government has been urged by a prominent MP to develop a stronger policy on West Papua.

Powes Parkop, the governor of PNG's national capital, said the government shouldn't keep ignoring the crisis in the neighbourng Indonesian-controlled half of New Guinea.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – Lawmaker of Papua Legislative's Council's Commission for Government, Politics, Law and Human Rights Laurenzus Kadepa said that that the raising of the Morning Star flag in six locations in Papua on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, should be a reflection to all parties in resolving Papua problems.

Alexander Loen, Jayapura, Jubi – The eight people who raised the Morning Star flag at the Cenderawasih Gymnasium in Jayapura City on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, were named suspects for alleged treason.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – The Church in Indonesia has joined rights groups to criticize the arrests of dozens of Papuan students for marking the 60th anniversary of the birth of West Papua on Dec. 1.

Ahmad Musthofa Kamal, a spokesman of Papuan police, said eight students were still in detention pending further investigations.

Dominggus Mampioper, Jayapura, Jubi – Sixty years ago, December 1, 1961, the Morning Star flag of West Papua was raised for the first time in front of the Nieuw Guinea Raad Building in Jayapura City. Now, the building is known as the Papuan Arts Council Building.

Jakarta – Indonesian authorities detained and charged eight West Papuan students with treason on Thursday (Dec 2) for raising the banned Morning Star flag used by supporters of independence for the restive province, police said.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has revealed that scores out of the 23 organisations referred to by the government as armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua want peaceful dialogue. Komnas HAM Chairperson Ahmad Taufan Damanik said that the commission heard this directly for themselves when they visited Papua.

Dhias Suwandi – Eight youths have been declared suspects on charges of makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) for flying the Morning Star flag at the Cenderawasih Sports Centre in Jayapura city, Papua, on Wednesday December 1.

The Morning Star is a symbol used as a flag by the Free Papua Organisation (OPM).

Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution, Jayapura, Papua – Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander General Andika Perkasa has said he will supervise cases involving grave human rights violations in Papua province.

Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution, Jayapura, Papua – Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander General Andika Perkasa has pledged to emphasize "social communication" to deal with Papuan groups who continue threatening the lives of civilians and security personnel in Papua.

Ambon – A demonstration by scores of Papuan students commemorating 60 years of West Papua independence in the city of Ambon, Maluku province on Wednesday December 1, ended in chaos after it was forcibly broken up by police.

Sui Suadnyana, Denpasar – A protest action by the Bali City Committee Papua Student Alliance (AMP-KKB) and the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Wednesday December 1 ended in a clash with a social organisation (ormas) called the Nusantara Garuda Patriots (PGN).

David Robie – Pressure is mounting on Indonesia to back off its brutal and unsuccessful military strategy in trying to crush West Papuan resistance to its flawed rule in "the land of Papua".

Agung Sandy Lesmana – The Metro Jaya regional police have rerouted traffic and closed off Jalan Merdeka Utara and traffic in the direction of Gambir train station due a rally by Papuan protesters in Central Jakarta.

First raised 60 years ago, the Morning Star flag is a potent symbol of the people of West Papua's long struggle for independence, and people around Australia can expect to see it raised again on 1 December.

The Australia West Papua Association thanks the Inner West Council in Sydney for supporting the raising of the West Papuan National Flag on its Leichhardt Town Hall today, 1st December to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first official flying of the Morning Star flag on the 1st December in 1961, in the then Dutch colony of Netherlands New Guinea.

From Auckland Tamaki Makaurau in Aotearoa New Zealand to Paris, France, and from Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara to Jayapura and far beyond, thousands of people across the world today raised the Morning Star flag – banned by Indonesian authorities – in simple acts of defiance and solidarity with West Papuans.

Abeth You, Enarotali, Jubi – The displaced people of Maybrat in West Papua Province, who fled their hometowns due to armed conflict between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), wanted to go home and celebrate Christmas in peace.

Dhias Suwandi, Jayapura – Police have arrested seven youths – along with an eighth who recorded the action – who raised the Morning Star flag on the grounds of the Cenderawasih Sports Centre (GOR) in Jayapura city on Wednesday December 1.

The Cenderawasih Sports Centre is located next the Papua regional police headquarters.