Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A court in Indonesia has dismissed lawsuits filed by two palm oil companies against a district head who revoked their permits over various violations. The May 23 rulings mark the latest in a string of legal defeats for palm oil companies who lost their licenses to operate in Indonesia's West Papua province.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – The government has come under increased pressure to involve indigenous Papuans in the policy-making processes that affect them and to accommodate their will as the state pushes to redistrict the resource-rich region and augment its security presence there.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office has appointed a team of 34 attorneys as public prosecutors to draft an indictment in human rights violations that occurred in Paniai, Papua.

Konradus Epa – Indonesian security forces shot dead a top separatist in a shootout in the predominantly Christian region of Papua.

Lerinus Murib, a member of the West Papua National Liberation Army and Free Papua Movement, was killed in a clash in Puncak district, on May 27, police spokesman Ahmad Mustofa Kamal said on May 31.

Jakarta, Jubi TV – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe finally opened up about his experience of receiving intimidation through the distribution of hoaxes on social media by certain groups, such as questioning his loyalty to Indonesia.

Jakarta, Jubi TV – The bill on the Establishment of the Southwest Papua Province has secured an endorsement from the House of Representatives Legislative Body (Baleg) on Monday, May 30, 2022.

Jayapura, Jubi TV – A shooting occurred between The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and Police's Mobile Brigade at Trikora Kago Field in Ilaga District, Puncak Regency on Friday evening, May 27, 2022.

Jayapura, Jubi TV – The Papuan office of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM Papua) has formed a team to investigate the alleged arson in Dogiyai Regency last Monday, May 22, 2022.

Head of Komnas HAM Papua Frits Ramandey said his party conducted field monitoring and investigations on May 27.

Sebastian Strangio – Late last week, the governor of Indonesia's Papua province gave an interview with Reuters in which he cast doubt about the government's controversial plans to create new provinces in the restive eastern region.

Jakarta, Jubi – Greenpeace Indonesia appreciates the decision of the Jayapura State Administrative Court which rejected the lawsuits of two palm oil companies, PT Anugerah Sakti Internusa and PT Persada Utama Agromulia, against South Sorong Regent Samsudi Anggiluli for revoking their operational permits.

Introduction

Stanley Widianto, Jakarta – Indonesia's plan to create new provinces in its impoverished eastern region of Papua has not been adequately discussed with the local population and is unviable, its governor said.

Jakarta, Jubi – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) regrets the deployment of hundreds of personnel from the Police's Mobile Brigade and the Indonesian Military (TNI) following the burning of dozens of buildings in Dogiyai Regency, Papua. Komnas HAM assessed that the deployment of forces actually worsened the situation and added to tensions in Dogiyai.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has revealed that police officers forced a number of residents of Intan Jaya regency in Papua to cut their hair and beards because they were seen as the characteristics of armed group members.

George Heagney – Students from West Papua desperate to stay in New Zealand after having their scholarships cut are pinning their hopes on finding an employer to sponsor new working visas.

About 40 students from the Indonesia province have been studying at different tertiary institutions in New Zealand.

UCA News reporter, Jakarta – Church activists in Indonesia are calling for a transparent investigation into a series of arson attacks targeting homes and other buildings in Papua province.

Susan Price – The United Nations International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories runs from May 25-31.

Melanie Reid and Bonnie Sumne – Documents tabled in a New Zealand court case show how a Kiwi developer and a company which has cut down Papuan rainforest intend to make around $110 million from the timber to make floors and decks – in stark contrast to statements made in a recent Newsroom investigation.

According to the UN there are 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories.

In the Pacific region there are 6. French Polynesia and New Caledonia/Kanaky. (France). American Samoa and Guam (US). Pitcairn (UK) and Tokelau (NZ).

Another territory which is not on the list of self governing terrorites but should be is West Papua.

Antara, Jakarta – Over a dozen of houses, and kiosks located in the Dogiyai Regency in Papua went ablaze after being intentionally burned by unknown people on Sunday evening, May 22. This has forced 100 women and children to take refuge at the region's military-police post.

Jayapura, Jubi TV – The Humanitarian Coalition for Papua urges the government to involve actual, meaningful participation of indigenous Papuans regarding the amendment of Special Autonomy Law and the government's plan to establish three New Autonomous Region (DOB) Bills in Papua.

George Heagney (Stuff) – A group of students from West Papua, the Melanesian Pacific region in Indonesia, are fearful about their futures in New Zealand after their scholarships were cut off.

Jakarta – Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Emanuel Gobay says that demonstrations or protest actions are regulated under Law Number 9/1998 on the Freedom to Convey an Opinion. This includes also, he added, the recent demonstrations criticising plans to create new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua.

Jayapura, Jubi – Papuan respected figure, theologian and activist Benny Giay throws the question of why the Indonesian government has not wanted to engage in a dialogue with Papuans. Instead, the government always chooses a security approach by sending troops and police to the Land of Papua.

Jayapura, Jubi TV – The Papuan Customary Council of the IV Great Conference of Indigenous Papuans assessed that the government should impose restrictions on migration to the Papua land. Such restrictions can be stated in regional regulations, said Secretary-General of the Papuan Customary Council Leonard Imbiri on Saturday, May 14, 2022.

Qadri Pratiwi, Uyu Liman, Jayapura, Papua – The Papuan People's Council (MRP) fully supports the central government's plans to establish new autonomous regions (DOB) of South Papua, Central Highlands Papua, and Central Papua to provide fair, equitable, and inclusive development.

Jakarta – On Friday May 20 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo invited political figures from Papua and West Papua provinces to an audience at the Bogor Presidential Palace in Bogor city, West Java.

During the meeting, they discussed a number of issues including the creation of new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua.

Jakarta – The University of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM UI) believes that the state has been acting repressively against indigenous Papuans protesting against the creation of new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua.

Sahabandi – On Friday May 13, the Greater Jakarta Papua People's Petition Joint Secretariat (PRP Sekber Jabodetabek) and the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) held a protest action with the theme "Expel the Indonesian occupation through the DOB and Otsus in West Papua", referring to the plan to create new autonomous regions in Papua (DOB) and the revisions the Specia

Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) on Thursday strongly condemned what they believe to be police violence acted against demonstrators protesting against the Papua new autonomous region (DOB) on May 10.

A new network of MPs in support of West Papua was launched today (May 12, 2022) at the European Parliament in Brussels. At a meeting and press conference, the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) announced the formation of its new EU branch.

There has never been any democracy for the Papuan people! We continue to be shown the very tangible distain for the democratic rights of the Papuan people. With every day that passes the space for free expression for the Papuan people continues to shrink.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – Activists have condemned alleged terror and intimidation against Papuan human rights activists and called the police to thoroughly investigate an alleged arson attack at Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) on Monday.

Katharina Reny Lestari – A human rights organization in Indonesia's restive Papua province came under attack from an unknown assailant who threw what was thought to be Molotov cocktails at its offices.

Jayapura, Jubi – The spokesperson for the Papuan People's Petition, Jefri Wenda, was arrested by the police regarding alleged violations of the Information and Electronic Transactions Law or the ITE Law, regarding his action of calling on people to take to the streets to reject Papua's Special Autonomy and the expansion of Papua, which took place in a number of cities in Papua on Tu

Manokwari, Jubi – Filep Wamafma, a lawmaker of the Regional Representatives Council from West Papua, regrets the increasingly closed democratic space in Papua, as seen by police action blocking protesters who rallied in various cities in Papua and West Papua provinces on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

Jordan Fennell of ABC Pacific Beat talks to Laurens Ikinia

Living in New Zealand as a student Laurens Ikinia wanted to create a space for the West Papuan diaspora to gather.

"We have been facing challenges and oppression back home so it is really hard for us to preserve and maintain our culture," he said.

Jayapura, Jubi – A member of the Commission for Government, Politics, Law and Human Rights at the Papua Legislative Council (DPRP), Laurenzus Kadepa, urged the Indonesian government to review the plan for the expansion of the Papua Province which is now raising pros and cons among Papuans.

Jakarta – Police arrested at least seven people in relation to a protest action in Jayapura on Tuesday May 10 against the creation of new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua.

TAPOL urges the Indonesian Government to release Jefry Wenda, the spokesperson of the Papuan People's Petition (Petisi Rakyat Papua, PRP) and others arrested today during a peaceful protest in Jayapura. Wenda was arrested along with several members of the West Papuan National Committee (Komite Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB) including Ones Suhuniap, Omizon Balingga and Imam Kogoya.

Jakarta – Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Emanuel Gobay says that a participant of a demonstration in Jayapura opposing the creation of new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua is in a critical condition after being shot by a rubber bullet allegedly fired by a police officer.

Jayapura (Indonesia) – Indonesian police used water cannon against protesters in the province of Papua on Tuesday, after thousands came out to oppose plans to for a major redistricting in the restive region.

Jakarta announced last year it was considering making six new provinces in the region, home to a decades-old rebel insurgency.

For nearly 60 years, West Papua, a region in the easternmost stretches of the Indonesian archipelago, has been engaged in one of the longest-running independence struggles of any region in the world against occupying Indonesia. Despite the longevity of the independence campaign, it has often escaped the notice of international outlets and Western audiences.

Yance Agapa, Paniai – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is asking the government to halt the planned gold mine at Wabu Block in Intan Jaya regency, until there is agreement from the Papua indigenous people in the area.

Jayapura, Jubi – Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi is urged to immediately follow up on the recommendations of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) in 2017 and 2018 regarding the rights fulfillment of 8,300 laid-off workers of PT Freeport Indonesia.

Kornelius Purba – Indonesian policymakers, from the highest to the lowest rung ladder, need to read and discuss with open minds an article that appeared in The Conversation titled "Despite its Pacific 'step-up', Australia is still not listening to the region, new research shows". Published on Feb.

Konradus Epa – Papuan students have called on the Indonesian government to arrest military commanders involved in human rights violations in the country's restive easternmost region.

Jayapura – Data shows that the expansion of a region is highly dependent on the increase in Locally Generated Income (PAD), whose main components are regional taxes and levies.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – The National Liberation Army of West Papua-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) has claimed responsibility for the attack on Sunday morning, May 1, 2022 at round 10:45 a.m. Eastern Indonesia Time that wounded two members of the military-police joint Cartenz Task Force.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Two members of the Indonesian security forces were shot and wounded by separatist rebels while guarding a church in Papua.

Papua police chief Mathius D Fakiri said the attack took place in Apmisibil, a village in Pegunungan Bintang district, at a Protestant church during Sunday morning worship on May 1.