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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
An Indonesian court has delivered a landmark victory for Indigenous rights in a case that pitted West Papuan activists against several palm oil companies.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 pledged to emphasize "social communication" to deal with Papuan groups who continue threatening the lives of civilians and security personnel in Papua.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
60 years ago, on 1st December 1961, the West Papuan national flag, the Morning Star, was raised for the first time on West Papua's soil. The flag represents Papuans' dreams for a Free West 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.
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.
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".
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).
Uday Bakhshi – The Papuan provinces, or West Papua, the easternmost part of Indonesia's territory, have been wracked with conflict for decades. Indonesia annexed them through controversial means, including but not limited to the 1962 New York Agreement, and the ironically named "Act of Free Choice" of 1969.
Antara, Jakarta – Papua Police Chief gen. Marthinus D. Fakhiri on Monday said the clash between members of the police institution and Armed Forces (TNI) in Tembagapura, Timika, which circulated in a viral social media video was an isolated incident and was not a riot between the two institutions.
Timoteus Marten, Jayapura, Jubi – A total of 3,121 people in the Maybrat Regency, West Papua, have been displaced following the attack on the Indonesian Military (TNI) post in Kisor by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) on September 2.
Jakarta – The Papua Council of Churches says that the Indonesian government is still choosing the path of violence in dealing with the armed conflict in Papua.
Hans Nicholas Jong, Natalia Laurensia Carmelia Yewen, Sorong, Indonesia – An Indigenous clan in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua has had its rights to its ancestral lands and forests recognized by the local government, a key step toward acknowledgment at the national level.
Benny Mawel, Jayapura, Jubi – The Papuan Church Council conveyed on Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021, some of its findings related to the escalated armed conflict in six regencies in Papua and West Papua, namely Intan Jaya, Bintang Mountains, Nduga, Yahukimo, Puncak, and Maybrat.
Yuliana Lantipo, Jayapura, Jubi – Dozens of women gathered and joined worship at the Graha Sara building in Jayapura City, to celebrate the Day of the Women's Fellowship of the Church in Asia, as well as to start the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence on Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021.
Yuliana Lantipo, Jayapura, Jubi – Participating in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence global campaign, this year, the Save Papuan Humans Women's Coalition will hold a number of activities in Jayapura City under the theme "Papuan Women, Militarism, and Investment". The series of events will be held for 16 days, starting November 25 to December 10.
Jakarta, Jubi – Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Andika Perkasa met National Police chief Gen. Listyo S Prabowo at the Police's headquarters in South Jakarta on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, to discuss about Papua conflict.
According to Andika, the meeting was necessary so that there would be no overlapping of tasks between the TNI and police in Papua.
Alexander Loen, Jayapura, Jubi – Deputy chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Alexander Marwata has called on regents and mayors in Papua to strengthen and practice good governance as it is important to prevent corruption.
Arnold Belau, Jayapura – On November 15 the Papua Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy (ELSHAM Papua) sent an open letter to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo expressing concerns about the current situation in the land of Papua.