Maria Baru, Kota Sorong – Papuan students studying in Bali say that the Indonesian state must release West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson Victor Yeimo from all charges because it is inappropriate to prosecute victims of racism.

Ronna Nirmala, Jakarta – Suspected separatist rebels in West Papua killed four government soldiers and wounded two others during a pre-dawn raid on their post, an Indonesian military commander said, in the single deadliest attack on state security forces in the region this year.

Theo Kelen, Jayapura, Jubi – The Jayapura District Court has rejected all motions filed by Victor Yeimo, the international spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and leader of the Papuan People's Petition, against the Papua Police and its unlawful move to detain and accuse him of provoking riots in the antiracism protest in 2019.

Andita Rahma, Maudey K. Setyakusuma, Papua – As many as 6,000 National Police and Army (Polri-TNI) personnel were deployed to help secure the implementation of the XX National Sports Week or PON in Papua which will be held in October 2021.

Ronna Nirmala, Jakarta – The start of a Papuan independence activist's trial on treason charges was postponed Tuesday for a third time after he fell ill and had to be hospitalized for pulmonary and gastric problems, lawyers said.

Antara, Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin on Monday summoned Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian to discuss draft government regulations for Papua's special autonomy law.

Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Papua chief public prosecutor's office on Monday August 30 to demand that the Papuan chief public prosecutor immediately release West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson Victor Yeimo from detention so he can be treated in hospital.

Indonesian authorities have been accused of defying a court order to urgently hospitalise the West Papuan political prisoner Victor Yeimo.

Last week the District Court of Jayapura issued an order to hospitalise Yeimo, a leader of the pro-independence West Papua National Committee (KNPB), as a matter of utmost urgency.

Asrida Elisabeth, Project Multatuli – In Wamena, the city at the economic center of Papua's central highlands, a mother of two stays home to avoid contracting Covid-19. The woman who asked to be identified as AB reminds everyone – family or visitor alike – to wash their hands before entering. The number of coronavirus cases in Wamena has been increasing.

Press Release by Veronica Koman, Sydney – The District Court of Jayapura issued an order to hospitalize imprisoned West Papuan pro-independence leader, Victor Yeimo, as a matter of utmost urgency, two days ago. Prosecutors have been deliberately defying this court order and Yeimo is still isolated in detention.

Jayapura – Former Papuan political prisoner (tapol) Filep Karma has also joined with activists and Victor Yeimo's family when along with Yeimo's lawyer they went to the private residence of the Papua chief public prosecutor in the Doc 5 area of Jayapura city on the evening of Saturday August 28.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Coalition for Legal and Human Rights of Papua, who are Victor Yeimo's legal advisors, escorted Yeimo's family to the Chief Public Prosecutor's residence in Jayapura, on Saturday, 28th August, 2021.

Dwi Bowo Raharjo and Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) diplomacy commissariat head Kobabe Wanimbo is appealing to the Papuan people to gather at the private residence of the Papua chief public prosecutor in the Doc 2 area of Jayapura city.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – Internet blackout occurred in Jayapura's Waena and lasted for around three hours on Wednesday, August 25, 2021, Netblocks confirmed. Netblocks is a watchdog organization tracking disruptions and shutdowns to safeguard internet freedom.

Jayapura – At the second court hearing which was to hear the reading out of the charges against West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson Victor Yeimo on Thursday August 26, the panel of judges ordered the prosecution to prioritise the defendant's health.

New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that officials have raised concern with Indonesia over the case of a West Papuan political prisoner.

But a West Papua solidarity group in New Zealand says merely raising the matter is not enough, and that the human rights problems in Papua demand more action.

Andrea Christiani and Haeril Halim, Jakarta – "William" is refusing to take a coronavirus vaccine because he fears Indonesia's military will use the country's inoculation program to poison him and wipe out his fellow Papuans.

Johnny Blades – The trial of West Papuan political prisoner Victor Yeimo has begun in an Indonesian court in Jayapura.

Yeimo, who is a spokesman for the pro-independence West Papua National Committee (KNPB), is charged with treason and incitement over his alleged role in anti-racism protests that turned into riots in 2019.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura, Jubi – The past three years have seen an unending illegal deployment of Indonesian military forces in the central highlands of Papua, internationally known as West Papua, which has triggered an escalated armed conflict between the military and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), as well as violence against civilians.

Theo Kelen, Jayapura – Director of the Indonesian Women's Legal Aid Institute for Justice (LBH APIK) Jayapura Nur Aida Duwila said reports of sexual violence against children in Papua continued to increase from 2019 to 2021.

Catherine Delahunty, Jayapura – When I first met West Papuan activist Paula Makabory, she told me she came from the land of the "Morning Star", home to the bird of paradise. In the same breath, she said her people were living in an occupied country – and they were bleeding.

I had no idea at the time where West Papua was, but meeting Paula changed the world map in my head.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – Ferianus Asso, the victim of a police shooting during a peaceful demonstration in Dekai, Yahukimo regency on Monday August 16, which was demanding the release of Papua activist Victor Yeimo, has reportedly died in hospital in Jayapura.

A Polish man imprisoned in an Indonesian jail after visiting West Papua as a tourist is doing okay, according to his lawyer.

Jakub Skrzypski is serving a seven-year sentence for treason after being arrested in Papua in 2018 when he was found to have consorted with Papuan pro-independence activists.

Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – The Jayapura District Court has started to examine the pretrial motion filed by the legal advisory team of Victor Yeimo, the international spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and the Papuan People's Petition leader, who is named a suspect for allegedly provoking the anti-racism protests in 2019.

Indonesian security forces have used discriminatory excessive force and racially abused protesters peacefully opposing the renewal of the Papuan Special Autonomy Law, new research by Amnesty International has revealed.

Ronna Nirmala, Jakarta – A pro-independence activist in Indonesia's Papua province will stand trial next week on charges of treason, says his lawyer.

A day earlier, one protester suffered gunshot wounds when police opened fire to disperse a rally demanding the activist Victor Yeimo's release, activists and a church group said.

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) emphasized that Victor Yeimo's treatment should be prioritized before conducting a trial at the District Court.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has called on Indonesian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Papuan leader Victor Yeimo from custody.

Benny Wenda, interim president of the ULMWP, said Yeimo was a "clear victim" of Indonesian racism and his health was deteriorating under captivity.

Alif Satria – On May 28, Indonesia's Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88) arrested 12 members of Jema'ah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), the country's homegrown pro-Islamic State terrorist organization, in Merauke, Papua.

Timoteus Marten, Jayapura – Most of the customary land in Wembi Village, Manam District, Keerom Regency has been taken for oil palm plantations and other development projects.

By Pastor Dr Socratez S. Yoman – The reality is that we now live under an Indonesian ruler who is anti-democratic, anti-justice, anti-freedom, anti-peace, anti-equality and anti-humanity. This is the real reflection of the face of the colonial rulers of Indonesia.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – An area of rainforest nearly five times the size of London has been destroyed in the past two decades in Indonesian New Guinea, home to Asia Pacific's largest area of intact old-growth forest, a new study shows.

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – The Yahukimo West Papua National Committee (KNPB) says that police forcibly broke up a peaceful protest action on Monday August 16 arresting scores of people and shooting one person in the Dekai district of Yahukimo regency, Papua.

Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – A group of people of the Papuan People Petition took to the streets on Monday, August 16, 2021, to demand the release of human rights activist Victor Yeimo, the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson. The Indonesian Military (TNI) and police, however, blocked the protesters with water cannon and even hit some of the protesters.

Jakarta – A rally by protesters from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in Jayapura, Papua, was forcibly and violently broken up by police on Monday August 16. Two people were injured after being allegedly struck by rattan sticks.

AWPA condemns the crackdown on peaceful demonstrators today in West Papua. Early reports (from FB and local media) indicate up to 50 people arrested and two wounded.

Rallies were called today by the Papuan People's Petition, consisting of over a 100 organisations and were demanding the release of Victor Yeimo who is sick in the Mako Brimob prison.

16 August 2021

Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Parliament Buildings
Wellington

Kia ora Nanaia Mahuta

A series of demonstrations in West Papua today have been forcibly stopped by Indonesian police.

The demos were organised by a network of 111 organisations behind the Papuan People's Petition, formed to reject Jakarta's plans to renew Special Autonomy in Papua.

Today – 15 August 15 1962 – marks "a day of betrayal for us West Papuans", says a Papuan leader as critics reminded the world about what happened 59 years ago.

An ailing Papuan activist detained in an Indonesian police detention center for the last three months has called on authorities to move him to a prison in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province.

Victor Yeimo, 37, says his health is worsening and his legal rights are being violated by being kept in isolation for so long.

Human rights advocates continue to voice concern for the welfare of West Papuan political prisoner Victor Yeimo.

Indonesian police arrested the West Papua National Committee's foreign spokesman in May over his alleged role in anti-racism protests that turned into riots in 2019.

Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Foreign Affairs
PO Box 6100
Senate, Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

12 August 2021

Dear Foreign Minister,

International pressure is mounting on Indonesia to free West Papuan activist Victor Yeimo, the international spokesperson for the peaceful civilian West Papua National Committee (KNPB), as concern grows over his worsening state of health.

A founding member of the Free West Papua Movement, Tan Sen Thay, has died in the Netherlands.

Tan Sen was an integral figure in the independence movement that developed in West Papua as part of the struggle against Indonesian rule, once Dutch colonial rule was replaced in the 1960s.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – UNESCO has urged the Indonesian government to close a stretch of road that runs through the largest protected area in Southeast Asia, citing its negative environmental impact.

Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) is urging the Papua regional police and the Papua chief public prosecutor to immediately release Papuan activist Victor F Yeimo because there is no legal basis for his detention and his health has been deteriorating since his arrest on May 9.

Jayapura – Lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman has spoken out about the worsening health of Papua activist Victor F Yeimo who has being detained at the Mobile Brigade command headquarters detention centre (Rutan Mako Brimob) for the last three months.

Theo Kelen, Keerom – For Bertho, David, and Yunitha, going to school takes a lot of struggle, literally. They live in Sawanawa Village, Arso District, 15 kilometers from the city center of Arso. And they study at the YPPK St. Petrus Ubiyau Elementary School, which is located in the Ubiyau Village, five kilometers from Sawanawa.

Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – Local governments in Papua – such as the Yapen Islands and Puncak administrations – say they are continuing to promote the benefits of covid-19 vaccines to indigenous Papuans as hoaxes and distrust from local people towards the Indonesian government has increased low vaccination rates.

New Guinea, the world's largest tropical island, is also the most floristically diverse island in the world. However, the rich forests of the island, particularly those in the Western half, are understudied and threatened. Researchers examined satellite data on this half to determine annual forest loss, road development and plantation expansion.