Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Chairperson Asfinawati has criticised a statement by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD who said that data on political prisoners and people killed in Nduga, Papua, was "rubbish".

[Speech delivered by Chairman of the ULMWP, Benny Wenda, during the Foreign Ministers & Senior Officials meeting of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), held in Suva from February 10-12, 2020.]

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I greet you all in my own language, wa wa wa wa.

Zakarias Demon Daton, Samarinda – A preliminary hearing to hear the reading out of charges against seven defendants arrested over the September riots in Papua was held at the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan on Tuesday February 11.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – Coordinating Legal, Political and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has dismissed documents on the victims of human rights violations in West Papua recently handed over to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, calling them unimportant.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) has officially deployed 700 military personnel to fill a number of 'preparation military commands' (Koramil) freshly established across the West Papua region.

Yance Wenda, Jayapura – The rights of freedom of expression in the second administration period of President Joko Widodo have still in concern to human rights activists. Democracy index 2019 released by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) put the democracy in Indonesia is the category of flawed democracy with index 6.48.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman says that today's statement by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD will only deepen the Papuan people's wounds.

Andhika Prasetia – Human rights activists Veronica Koman, who is currently in Australia, handed over data on political prisoners and victims of the conflict in Papua to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo via her team during his visit to Canberra on Sunday.

Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has spoken out on the issue.

Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – Papua activist Paulus Suryanta Ginting – one of six defendants being tried for treason – says that police provided logistical assistance for demonstrators protesting in front of the State Palace.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Police Main Headquarters (Polri) affirmed it will not pull police personnel currently tasked in Papua due to the upcoming regional head elections and the 2020 National Games (PON) slated for September and November this year.

Pacific Media Watch – The Australian government should break its silence and raise human rights violations in West Papua with visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo today, says a Sydney-based advocacy group.

Widodo is expected to deliver an address to a joint sitting of Federal Parliament in Canberra.

Dwi Bowo Raharjo and Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is holding bilateral talks during his visit to Australia on February 8-10.

Amnesty International Australia and human rights lawyer Veronica Koman took advantage of the visit to call on the Australian government to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with Widodo.

Jakarta – Special Presidential Staff member for legal affairs, Dini Shanti Purwono, has denied a statement by human rights lawyer Veronica Koman who claimed that she handed over a document containing the names of Papuan political prisoners to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Gisela Swaragita, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has been urged to discuss human rights violations in West Papua during his visit with Australian government officials in Canberra.

Jokowi is in Australia this week on a bilateral visit.

Dany Garjito and Rifan Aditya – Human Rights lawyer and activist Veronica Koman says that data on Papuan political prisoners (tapol) and the names of those who died as a result of military operations in Nduga was handed over to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during his visit to Canberra, Australia.

Australia's government has been urged to discuss human rights abuses in West Papua with Indonesia's visiting president.

Jokowi, who is to address Australia's parliament in Canberra today, is expected to finalise an economic partnership agreement between the two countries.

The Indonesian president, Mr Joko Widodo is visiting Australia and is expected to deliver an address to a joint sitting of parliament in Canberra on Monday the 10th. He is in Australia to discuss/finalize the Indonesia-Australia comprehensive economic partnership agreement (IA-CEPA), which is in the final stage of ratification.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Australia and Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman have urged the Australian government to bring up the human rights situation in Papua and West Papua during President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's ongoing visit to Canberra.

Amnesty International Australia and Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman urge the Australian government to raise the human rights situation in West Papua during bilateral talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo this week.

Diana Mariska, Beritasatu, Jakarta – Economic contraction in Indonesia's easternmost regions of Maluku and Papua has shown up an Achilles heel in the government's approach to development, economists have said.

M Yusuf Manurung, Jakarta – The name of the person who reported a case of treason to police following a Papuan demonstration in Central Jakarta on August 28, 2019 was revealed during a court hearing yesterday. The person was the Red-and-White Militia (LMP) General Chairperson Adek Erfil Manurung.

M Yusuf Manurung, Jakarta – East Jakarta Metropolitan District Police Chief Senior Commissioner Ardian Rishadi was presented as a witness by the prosecution at the trial of six Papua activists charged with treason at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday February 3.

Angela Flassy, Jayapura – Tri Susanti a.k.a Mak Susi gets twelve months sentence on Wednesday (29/1/2019). The public prosecutor from Surabaya District Prosecutors Office charges her with Article 14 verse (1) and (2) in conjunction with Article 15 Law No.1 of 1946 of the Criminal Law Code.

Jakarta – Activists are calling on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to withdraw troops from the conflict-prone Nduga, Papua, and take a humanitarian approach instead.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – During a meeting about the fate of Papuan migrant students after last year's racial abuse incidents in East Java, the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) asked Jember Regent Faida to ensure the safety of the Papuan students in her regency.

Cat MacLennan – In 1994, New Zealand sent a cross-party delegation of five MPs to Timor-Leste on a fact-finding mission. It made a real difference, and could do again for West Papuans, writes Cat McLennan.

Ronny Kareni, Canberra – The year 2020 dawns with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's continued blatant avoidance of human rights violations and willful ignorance of West Papuans' right to self-determination.

Surabaya – One of the Papuan students in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya who was the target of racist abuse last year believes that the five month jail sentence handed down against the defendant Syamsul Arifin was too light.

Indonesian security forces say a West Papuan was shot dead in a clash with police and military forces in Intan Jaya regency of Papua province.

It's the latest in a series of deadly violence in Papua's highlands region where a proliferation of guns is fuelling ongoing conflict.

Agus Pabika, Jayapura – The Provincial Government of Papua would attempt to address problems facing the exodus students who continue to stay in Jayapura City, Papua.

Papua Provincial Secretary Herry Dosinaen told hundreds of exodus students who wish to meet Papua Governor Lukas Enembe in a meeting facilitated by the Papuan People's Assembly.

Jakarta – A joint team of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police shot dead an apparent member of an Intan Jaya-based armed criminal group (KKB) for allegedly resisting arrest in Nabire regency, Papua on Monday. The deceased has been identified only as NM, 35.

Emma Kluge – Activism and protests marked West Papua's 50th anniversary last year of the so-called Act of Free Choice, which formalised Indonesia's control over the territory, with the region's people once again demanding independence from Indonesia.

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – The government called on all contingents not to concern about security issues for the XX National Sports Week, or PON 2020, in Papua, which is scheduled to be held from October 20 to November 2, 2020.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – Civil society groups have accused the government of misconduct in its decision to restrict internet access in restive Papua last year as part of efforts to contain the spread of hoaxes, according to a lawsuit filed at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN).

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – Civil society groups have filed a lawsuit against President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration over the internet blackout imposed during the weeks of protests in Papua and West Papua last year, arguing that it was substantially and procedurally flawed.

Two Papuan activists on trial for treason in Indonesia's capital decried what they described as 'racism' after the court on Monday ordered them to remove traditional penis gourds.

The Jakarta hearing descended into a standoff as the panel refused to proceed until the men put on pants – the second time their native garb led to delays in the trial of six activists.

[Special report by Arnold Belau, Ligia Giay, Febriana Firdaus and Belinda Lopez of the Voice of Papua newsletter.]

Everything about what happened in the Papuan provincial regency of Nduga just over a year ago is still a blur and closed off. It remains an elephant in the room, just like another mass killing case in West Papua during the 1970s.

Benny Mawel, 300,000 – Four tribes in Keerom regency, Papua, have handed over 10 hectares of land to the Indonesian Military (TNI), paving the way for the construction of a new headquarters for the area's military command post (Korem).

Aside from receiving financial compensation, the tribes also asked the military to prioritize their children in enlistment.

Jakarta – The lawyer representing Surya Anta Ginting and five other Papuan activists, Mike Himan, has confirmed that two of his clients will continue to wear traditional Papuan penis gourds (koteka) during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court today, Monday January 20.

M Yusuf Manurung, Jakarta – Six Papua activists who are defendants in a treason case performed the song "Hindang Makendang" before the hearing began at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday January 20. The song was sung to the accompaniment of a guitar.

Aryo Wisanggeni, Jayapura – The Advocate Team for Indigenous Papuans hopes the panel of judges would be objective and fair in examining the facts during the trial of a mass rampage on 29 August 2019. They said it is crucial acts to avoid perceptions that the Jayapura District Court is only an instrument of Indonesian colonialism against Papuans.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) said on Thursday that it discovered one of the bases of an armed criminal group (KKB) that has been active in Intan Jaya regency of Papua.

Cendrawasih Military Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Dax Sianturi said the soldiers found the group's base in a village in Tigi district on Tuesday.

The 79 member states of the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) group are seeking international action over human rights abuses in West Papua.

A resolution was passed by the group at its 9th ACP Summit of Heads of State and Government, calling for urgent attention to be paid to the rights situation in Indonesia-ruled Papua region.

Tarcisius Kabutaulaka – In July 2019, at the inaugural Indonesian Exposition held in Auckland, New Zealand, Indonesia launched its 'Pacific Elevation', laying claim to a Pacific islands identity and touting its elevated engagement with the region.

Evarianus S, Rahmad Nasution, Timika, Papua – Papua Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw warned his men against getting involved in arms trafficking activities with the armed criminal groups in Papua Province and said he would take stern action against them.

Jakarta – The panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court has postponed a hearing scheduled to hear a rebottle by the prosecution against a demurrer by the lawyers representing Surya Anta and five other Papua activists indicted on charges of treason and criminal conspiracy.

Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – Judges at the Central Jakarta District Court postponed a court session during a trial for six Papuan rights activists accused of treason on Monday since two of the defendants, both originally from Papua, chose to wear the "koteka," or traditional penis gourds, inside the courtroom.

Jakarta – The police are reinforcing five newly formed regional police units in five regencies of the restive Papua province, which has been rocked by unrest over the past few months.

Tom Allard and Jack Stubbs, Jakarta/London – As Indonesia celebrated its National Heroes' Day last year, official military social media accounts lavished praise on Corporal Yunanto Nugroho for the "myriad awards he has won in the field of IT."

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court rejected on Monday a petition for a judicial review of several articles of Law No. 12/1969 on the establishment of the West Irian autonomous province and autonomous regencies in West Irian province.