Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) has expressed its readiness to follow up on a request for witness protection following the shooting of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya, Papua, in September.

A British parliamentarian has told lawmakers in the UK parliament about racism faced by West Papuans in Indonesia.

Alex Sobel, who is the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on West Papua, was speaking during a discussion on Black History.

Sobel said the plight of West Papuans under Indonesian rule was rarely taught in British academic institutions or schools.

Tri Indah Oktavianti, Jakarta – A coalition of human rights groups have called on the government to reveal detailed information on the suspected killers of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya regency, Papua, after a state-formed fact-finding (TGPF) reportedly found indications of security forces' involvement.

Stanley Widianto, Jakarta – Indonesian activists called on Thursday for deeper investigation into the killing of a Papuan pastor, a day after a top security official said a government fact-finding mission had found signs of possible involvement by state forces.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia investigator Ari Pramuditya has criticised a recommendation by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD to deploy more troops in Papua.

Mahfud's recommendation was to add more troops to areas in Papua which do not yet have pockets of military troops.

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) has urged the government to take the shooting of Papuan pastor Yeremias Zanambani to civilian court trial if members of the National Armed Forces (TNI) are proven guilty in the pastor's death.

Tri Indah Oktavianti, Jakarta – The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) have called on the government to further investigate the killing of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani following the publication of a government-sanctioned joint fact-finding team report.

Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie, Jakarta – Coordinating Political, Legal and Human Rights Minister Mahfud MD has suggested that the solution to the ongoing violence in Papua is to send more security forces to the region and that Papuans in fact do not want the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police withdrawn from the province.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua says it is adopting a provisional constitution for a democratic state.

The organisation is pursuing a referendum in West Papua on independence from Indonesia. The Movement's Legislative Council had been holding its third annual session in Jayapura.

Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie, Jakarta – A government-sanctioned joint fact-finding team has reported that it found indications that security forces were involved in the shooting of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani after investigating a series of shootings in Intan Jaya regency, Papua.

Jakarta – Asmat regency in Papua has decided to limit access to and from the area for 28 days, starting on Sunday, after eight people in the regency's capital Agats tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.

Alya Nurbaiti, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has stated that the fatal shooting of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa district, Intan Jaya, Papua is not a standalone incident, but rather a part of a series of violence occurring across the regency throughout this year.

Dan McGarry – During Covid, the independence campaign could have been forgotten. But a new generation of activists is forging ahead.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – Family members of pastor Yeremia Zanambani, who was recently shot dead in Intan Jaya regency, Papua, claimed they were reluctant to sign an investigation report (BAP) on the priest's death and had only agreed to do so after they were promised that the report would be sent to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Tri Indah Oktavianti, Jakarta – Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has defended a joint fact-finding team sanctioned by the government to conduct probes into recent killings in Intan Jaya regency, Papua, saying the team is full of professionals with unyielding independence.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – The government-sanctioned joint fact-finding team (TGPF) says it has concluded the field investigation of the shooting case of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani, despite naming no suspects yet.

The West Papua Council of Churches wants an end to what it says is the re-militarisation of the region.

It wrote to Indonesia's President Joko Widodo and also asked him to follow through on his commitment to meet with Papuan pro-referendum groups.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – The members of a government-sanctioned joint fact-finding team (TGPF) for the Intan Jaya shooting case have convinced the wife and family members of slain Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani to allow the body to be autopsied as part of an ongoing investigation.Benny Mamoto of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), who leads the field investigation unit, sai

Alya Nurbaiti and Benny Mawel, Jakarta/Papua – The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has confirmed it was behind an attack on members of the government's joint fact-finding team (TGPF) in Mamba village, Sugapa district, Intan Jaya regency, Papua, on Friday.

Muhammad Baqir, Jakarta – The Papua Church Council rejected the fact-finding team or TGPF Intan Jaya formed by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD to solve the shooting case of Pastor Yeremias Zanambani in Intan Jaya, Papua.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – A government-sanctioned joint fact-finding team (TGPF) started conducting initial investigations into the recent killings in Intan Jaya regency, Papua, soon after the team members arrived in the country's easternmost region on Wednesday.

Jakarta – Rejecting an extension of special autonomy status, a number of groups in Papua have demanded a referendum. The government must prioritize dialogue.

The chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano, says it's vital there is open and constructive dialogue on the human rights situation in West Papua.

He has written to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human rights, Michelle Bachelet, seeking an update on consultations with Indonesia about the Forum's desire to send a mission there.

Fathin Ungku, Ernest Scheyder, Singapore/Houston – When miners at Indonesia's giant Grasberg gold and copper mine started testing positive for coronavirus early in the pandemic, the mountain-top mining complex was quickly locked down with a skeletal staff left in place to maintain production.

Papua New Guinea's Defence Force says it's working with Indonesian counterparts to reach a final understanding about a nagging border issue.

The PNGDF commander has responded to social media reports that Indonesia illegally established a naval post in PNG territory on a river mouth on the southern end of the two countries' common border.

Arichika Okazaki, Grant Walton – The tragic death of George Floyd has revitalised the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement not only in the USA, but also in other parts of the world.

Joshua Mcdonald – The chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano, has written to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet seeking support for the forum's request to send a mission to West Papua to assess the human rights situation there.

Jakarta – The police have arrested a suspect allegedly linked to the killing of Muhammad Thoyib, 39, a worker at a furniture shop whose body was found with stab and arrow wounds in Dekai district, Yahukimo regency, Papua, on Aug. 20.

Hans Kapisa, Manokwari – Shouts of 'Papua Merdeka! (Free Papua)' and the unfolding morning star flag was colouring a rally by Papuan pro-independence group on Wednesday(30/9/2020) to reject the special autonomy (Otsus) in Manokwari. Joint security forces were set on location to secure the scene.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Three men from Waris district in Keerom regency, Papua, have reportedly been shot with rubber bullets as police attempted to disperse a mass gathering protesting civil servant (CPNS) recruitment results on Thursday.

Alya Nurbaiti, Jakarta – Papuans have expressed doubt over the establishment of a joint fact-finding team (TGPF) to probe the recent shootings in Papua, including the killing of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya regency.

Jakarta – Human rights activists and lawyer Veronica Koman has highlighted the involvement of TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) members in the Joint Fact Finding Team (TGPF) formed by the government to investigate a spate of recent shootings in Intan Jaya, Papua. According to Koman, the TGPF is not independent.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – The government has formed a joint fact-finding team (TGPF) to investigate the recent killings in Intan Jaya, Papua, including the shooting of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa district.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has revealed a number of provisional findings on the recent shooting of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya, Papua.

Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie, Jakarta – The government will establish a joint team involving officials and members of the public to probe the recent killings in Papua's Intan Jaya regency, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said on Thursday.

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister of Politics, Law, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD on Thursday's press conference said that the Indonesian government will never let go of Papua and asserts that the many attempts to declare independence will be fought by the government.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – A joint force of personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police dispersed a group of Papuan students protesting the government's plan to extend Papua's special autonomy status on Monday.

Tension between Indonesia and Vanuatu at the United Nations General Assembly spilled over into an ugly show of hatred by Indonesian online trolls, who flooded an official Instagram account of the South Pacific Ocean nation with racist comments.

Alya Nurbaiti, Jakarta – Indonesian netizens lambasted fellow internet users who dropped hundreds of harsh and racist comments on the Vanuatu Tourism Office's official Instagram account.

Antara, Jakarta – The government is in support for an independent investigation over the shooting against pastor Yeremia Zanambani at the Hitadipa District in the province of Papua by forming an investigative team that will work beside church managements, local figures, and administration.

Nabire – Evangelical Christian Church (GKI) Cluster Hitadipa asked the local government of Intan Jaya, Indonesian Military (TNI) and Police to immediately relocate the military post in Hitadipa.

Dian Septiari, Jakarta – Indonesia has again sent a junior diplomat to defend its national interest to protect its easternmost provinces at the United Nations General Assembly, where the small island nation of Vanuatu renewed its call to investigate alleged human rights violations in Papua.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia said it deplores Indonesia's response to accusations made by Vanuatu about human rights violations in Papua at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday September 26.

Jakarta – In the last few years, Indonesia has entrusted its young diplomats with countering attacks predominantly from Pacific countries over alleged human rights abuses against Papuan people.

Ben Doherty – Unrest has flared in the restive Indonesian region of Papua with police firing shots during a protest by hundreds of university students in the provincial capital, Jayapura.

The group was demonstrating against plans to extend a special autonomy law that protestors say has not done enough to help people in one of the country's poorest regions.

Indonesia has lashed out at Vanuatu for what it describes as the Melanesian country's "excessive and unhealthy obsession" about West Papua.

The testy comments came in Indonesia's right of reply to a statement by Vanuatu's prime minister Bob Loughman at the United Nations General Assembly.

28 September 2020

Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern,
Prime Minister
Hon Winston Peters,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Parliament Buildings
Wellington

Dear Jacinda Ardern and Winston Peters,

Jakarta – Police forcibly dispersed a student protest near the Cendrawasih University (Uncen) in Jayapura, Papua, on Monday September 28. The students were protesting against an extension of Special Autonomy (Otsus) for Papua.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International has recorded 47 cases of extrajudicial killings in Papua between February 2018 and September 2020. Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid revealed that these cases have resulting in 96 deaths.

Tri Indah Oktavianti, Jakarta – Indonesia has lashed out at the Republic of Vanuatu over what Indonesian representatives say are its continuing efforts to raise "artificial human rights concerns" in Papua.