Benny Mawel, Jayapura – The Papuan Customary Council has criticized all parties who speak on behalf of the Indigenous Papuan people and ask PT Freeport Indonesia to build a copper smelter in Papua.
The council also questions those who ask the company to prioritize Indigenous Papuans to work at Freeport's new smelter in East Java.
Abeth You, Jayapura – The Pegunungan Bintang (Pegubin) Administration is preparing to send hundreds of displaced people of Kiwirok District, who fled after the attack on the Kiwirok's health center on Sept. 18, 2021, back to their villages.
More than 300 Kiwirok residents currently take shelter at 17 points in Oksibil City, the capital of Pegunungan Bintang.
Katharina R. Lestari, Jakarta – A two-year-old boy has died following an armed clash between suspected separatist rebels and soldiers in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, police said on Oct. 27.
Jayapura – Papua Legal Aid Institute has called on the Papua and West Papua administration, as well as the Indonesian Red Cross, to immediately save civilians who were displaced due to armed conflict in a number of areas in Papua.
Johnny Blades – Armed conflict in West Papua has caused an exodus of displaced people into one of the most remote parts of neighbouring Papua New Guinea.
Jakarta – An Indonesian cabinet minister is pushing for American mining giant Freeport McMoRan to be allowed to expand its copper concentrate output so as to supply a planned smelter in the easternmost region of Papua, he said on Wednesday.
An environmental NGO has hailed a West Papua district head's decision to recognise customary land rights.
The head of Sorong Regency, Johnny Kamuru, has issued a decree on recognising rights of the Indigenous Peoples of Gelek Malak Kalawilis Pasa over land and forest in Sayosa sub district.
Lodi Aprianto – A protest action by Papuan students in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar ended in chaos after members of an ormas (social or mass organisations) forcibly broke up the demonstration. Rappocini deputy sectoral police chief Deputy Police Commissioner Widodo was injured by a rock during the incident.
Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – Lawmaker of Papua Legislative Council John NR Gobai said that forest products and other natural resources in Papua were mostly controlled by investors, who have permits from the central government, instead of Indigenous People. To date, Indigenous Papuans are still marginalized in natural resource management.
Jakarta – The government has released its 2021 Performance Report. The report however, does not contain an evaluation of the handling of conflicts which have occurred in Papua.
Yet, of late, there have been frequent armed conflicts between armed criminal groups (KKB) and the Indonesian military resulting in not a few lives being lost on both sides.
Susan Price – About 200 Indonesian military personnel are taking part in a joint training exercise with 150 Australian troops in the Northern Territory. Meanwhile, in West Papua, thousands of civilians are fleeing Indonesian military operations in the Maybrat region.
Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – Papuan Customary Council secretary John NR Gobai has urged the Papua Legislative Council to investigate the disappearance of Sem Kobogau, 51, a man declared missing after being taken by a number of soldiers on Oct. 5, 2021.
Gobai demanded the Papua Legislative Council to talk with all related parties to help investigate the case.
Up to 200 Indonesian military personal are taking part in a joint military exercise with Australian troops in the NT.
Meanwhile in West Papua, thousands of civilians flee Indonesian military operations in the Maybrat region.
Rangga PAJ, Rahmad Nasution, Jakarta – A report book documenting the commitment and achievements of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in accelerating regional development in the provinces of Papua and West Papua was released by the Presidential Office (KSP) on Wednesday.
Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Declared on Oct. 19, 2011, during the Third Papuan People's Congress at Zakheus Square in Abepura, the so-called West Papua Federal Republic (NFRPB) celebrated its 10th anniversary of declaration on Tuesday.
Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – Sorong regent Johny Kamuru has issued Decree No. 593.2/KEP.345/IX/2021 to recognize the land rights of the Gelek Malak Kalawilis Pasa, one of the clans of the Moi Tribe in Sayosa District, Sorong Regency. The decree acknowledges that the clan's customary land and forests cover an area of 3,247 hectares.
Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – Papuan Legislative Council member Yonas Alfon Nusi urged the Indonesian government and PT Freeport Indonesia to explain to the Papuan people the reason behind its plan to build a copper smelter in Gresik Regency, East Java, instead of in Papua.
Olivia Tasevski – When Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, became Indonesia's president in 2014, he pledged to improve social services in the restive Indonesian province of West Papua, where a pro-independence movement has been brewing since the 1960s. At the time, Jokowi claimed that once these improvements occurred, "the political tension [in West Papua] will drop."
Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – Lawmaker of the Papua's Legislative Council's Politics, Law, and Human Rights Commission Laurenzus Kadepa reveals that 8,300 former employees of mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia, who were arbitrarily laid off some years ago as part of the company's efficiency drive, is still fighting for their rights.
Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – The involvement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in the food estate program initiated by the government last year was feared to enable potential human rights violations, Rights NGO Imparsial director Gufron Mabruri said in an online discussion on Wednesday, October 13, 2021.
Dyna Rochmyaningsih – Seventeen years ago, botanist Miriam van Heist of Wageningen University and a team of local collaborators set out to explore plant diversity in the Foja Mountains in Western New Guinea. It was an uncharted realm: Of the 487 species they found, nearly one-third had never been described anywhere.
Theo Kelen, Jayapura – The Jayapura District Court is still waiting for the medical examination result of Victor Yeimo to determine his trial schedule. Yeimo, the international spokesperson for the West Papua National Committee who is arrested for alleged treason during a protest against racism in 2019, is currently undergoing treatment for tuberculosis at the Dok 2 Hospital.
Jayapura – The International Coalition for Papua (ICP) has released its latest report on human rights violations in Papua between July and September 2021.
Atamus Kepno, Jayapura – Cenderawasih University (Uncen) students are urging the government through the Papua police to immediately release West Papua National Committee (KNPB) international spokesperson Victor F. Yeimo and student activist Frans Wasini.
Victor Mambor, Jayapura – Upon receiving a report on a missing person named Sem Kobagau, reportedly arrested by four members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, the Cenderawasih Military Command XVII starts investigating the allegation.
Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – The executive director of the Institute for Research, Assessment, and Development of Legal Aid (LP3BH) Manokwari, Yan Christian Warinussy, says that during the 25 years of the LP3BH's establishment, his party has not found any real efforts by the Indonesian government to address the two root causes of Papua's problems, which are, the disputes over political
A new United Nations report has detailed the harassment and surveillance of West Papuan human rights defenders at the hands of the Indonesian state.
The report, jointly compiled by the UN Secretary-General and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), records attacks on human rights defenders in 45 countries, including Indonesia.
Jakarta – Nine months since the Indonesian government ran the COVID-19 vaccination program, the vaccination rate in Papua Province is lowest, a recent national count says.
Yance Wenda, Sentani – Papuan People Assembly's (MRP) member of the Women Workgroup Orpa Nari has warned security forces not to restrict Papuan women from selling noken – Papua's multifunctional woven bag – and other accessories with the Morning Star design in the 20th National Games (PON XX) venue in Papua.
Agus Pabika, Jayapura – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's visit to Papua to officially open the National Games (PON XX) and officiate a number of infrastructure projects are ceremonial and will not provide any benefits to the ordinary Papuan people when cases of human rights violations are left unresolved.
The interim president of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) has accused Indonesia of holding its 20th National Games "on the bones of my people".
"While we mourn for three years of Indonesian military operations, these games are a dance on top of our graves, on top of our suffering, on top of our cries," Benny Wenda said today in a statement.
Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – At least six people were killed and thousands forced to flee during clashes between two indigenous groups in Indonesia's Papua province sparked by allegations of witchcraft, police said Oct. 6.
Violence flared between members of the Kimyal and Yali tribes in Dekai, the capital of Yahukimo district, on Oct. 3.
Antara, Jakarta – The Youth and Sports Minister (Menpora), Zainudin Amali, asserted that the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON Papua) will continue to run as scheduled albeit a number of athletes and officials tested positive for COVID-19.
Yamin Kogoya – Two Melanesian state leaders addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on West Papua last week.
During the 76th UNGA, both Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, James Marape, and Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Bob Loughman, expressed concern about human rights issues in West Papua.
Hans Nicholas Jong, Sorong, West Papua – With its lush rainforests and long stretches of beaches, Waimon, a coastal village in Indonesia's West Papua province, seems like an idyllic place.
But some residents consider it a hostile, almost inhospitable place due to its remoteness and the heavy rains that can make traveling by boat a deadly prospect.
Victor Mambor, Jayapura – A major national sports event opened in Papua at the weekend, with officials hoping it will showcase the Indonesian government's commitment to developing the province and reassure the public that the region is safe despite an active and escalating pro-independence insurgency.
Andita Rahma, Jakarta – A riot broke out in Yahukimo of Papua on Sunday, October 3, killing six residents and leaving 41 others injured. The clashes between residents started at around 12:45 Eastern Indonesian Time (WIT).
Lenny Tristia Tambun & Whisnu Bagus, Jayapura – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo continued his trip in Papua on Sunday to inaugurate several projects, a day after opening historic national games in the easternmost province.
It's for the first time that Papua becomes a host of the multi-event games held every four years.
Maria Baru, Sorong – Frater Anton Syufi from the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) was arrested by the Jayapura city district police on Sunday October 3 for wearing a Morning Star (BK) independence flag T-shirt while watching a soccer match between the Papua and East Nusa Tenggara National Games teams at the Mandala Stadium in Jayapura, Papua.
A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – After a year's delay due to the pandemic, the 20th National Games (PON) started in Papua over the weekend under heavy security – the first major sporting event in the restive easternmost region of Indonesia and despite virus concerns.
Sorong (Antara) – Jalan Jenderal Sudirman in Sorong city, West Papua province, which has been damaged for two years, was quickly resurfaced in the lead up to a visit by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who will arrive in Sorong on Monday October 4.
Victor Mambor Jayapura, Indonesia – A major national sports event opens in Papua on Saturday, with officials hoping it will showcase the Indonesian government's commitment to developing the province and reassure the public that the region is safe despite an active and escalating separatist insurgency.
Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Indonesian police arrested 17 indigenous Papuan students and activists during a protest outside the US embassy in Jakarta.
Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta – The Papua Advocacy Team says that the police committed acts of violence and sexual harassment when they broke up a protest action and arrested 17 people in front of the US Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday September 30.
Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – The police forcibly broke up a protest action marking the 1962 Rome Agreement in front of the United States Embassy in Central Jakarta on the afternoon of Thursday September 30 and arrested 17 Papuan activists.
Jakarta – The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has only just ended. Apart from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's pre-recorded speech, Indonesia made a mark during the annual world event because of alleged human rights abuses in Papua.
Johnny Blades – Church leaders warn the presence of Indonesian soldiers in classrooms in West Papua is proving traumatic for children in a region mired in conflict.
Hilaire Bule – The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has saluted Vanuatu's declaration on human rights violation by Indonesia in West Papuan soil, at the 76th United Nations General Assembly.
Jakarta – The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) has criticised the United Nations over a report on intimidation and violence against human rights activists in Papua.
Dian Septiari and Nur Janti, Jakarta – The government faced more international scrutiny of its activities in Papua as the United Nations capped a whirlwind of multilateral diplomatic activities, even as violence continued to simmer in Indonesia's easternmost provinces.