Sam King – Racist mobs and Indonesian police harassed and raided West Papuan student accommodation in the Indonesian cities of Surabaya, Malang and Semarang in August this year in an attempt to intimidate students sympathetic to the right of self-determination for West Papua.

Jakarta – Papuan activists Anes Dano Tabuni has insisted that he will wear a penis gourd (koteka) during court hearings on charges of treason and criminal conspiracy at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday January 6.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – One of the lawyers representing six Papua activists being tried for treason, Annisa Rizky, says that her clients are being criminalised for excursing their freedom of expression.

Because, according to Rizky, the six Papua activists were expressing an opinion in public with good intent, not committing makar (treason, subversion, rebellion).

Jakarta – The legal team representing Surya Anta Ginting and three other Papua defendants charged with treason and criminal conspiracy submitted a demurrer (eksepsi) or note of objection against the public prosecutor's indictment during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday January 6.

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court (MK) has rejected a judicial review of Law Number 12/1969 on the Formation of the West Irian (Papua) Autonomous Province and Autonomous Regencies in the Province of West Irian which was submitted based on the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

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Jakarta – The government should prioritize dialog instead of using a security approach in seeking solution to the Papuan problem. Deployment of soldiers and police in the past year has proven ineffective. Security apparatus have not been able to quell armed groups from disrupting the peace. Meanwhile, the number of civilian victims continues to climb.

Dr Mark Busse and Sophie Faber – West Papua has been in the media more than usual over the last six months, with stories about indigenous protests against racism and repression, demands for independence, brutal Indonesian police and military crackdowns, and the banning of foreign journalists.

Evarukdijati and Genta Tenri Mawan, Jayapura, Papua – A joint task force of Papua Police and military launched a manhunt for an armed Papuan group at the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border, Keerom District, Papua Province, Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Pol. Paulus Waterpauw stated.

Antara, Jakarta – The Papua Police recorded that, during 2019, there were 23 shooting incidents involving the armed Papuan groups that claimed the lives of 10 members of the Indonesian police and military, and 10 civilians, a police officer revealed.

Hendartyo Hanggi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military or TNI and PT Freeport Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the security of the mining giant in Timika, Papua.

The tie was signed by Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and the corporate CEO Clayton Allen Wenas at the TNI Headquarters, Cilangkap, East Jakarta, Thursday, December 26.

Nur Yasmin, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud M.D. accused a Papuan district official of engaging "political maneuver" by publicly declaring resignation and fabricating story about a fatal shooting.

Nic Maclellan – Yudha Korwa was just 17 years old when he was attacked by Indonesian soldiers during the Biak massacre on 6 July 1998.

Twenty-nineteen has been the worst year on record for the people of West Papua. They cannot enjoy their Christmas this year. They are facing military operations in every corner of every village in West Papua, from Nduga to Puncak Jaya to Intan Jaya.

Gunmen opened fire on a small commercial plane as it landed in Indonesia's Papua on Saturday.

Reports from one of the pilots quoted by The Star say there were no reports of casualties among the nine passengers on the plane.

The attack happened in the hilly district of Puncak, a stronghold of separatists who have been battling Indonesian since the 1960s.

Jakarta – Five Papuan pro-independence students and a rights activist went on trial Thursday on charges of treason after waving morning star flags that are a separatist symbol during a peaceful protest in front of Indonesia's presidential palace.

Ben Bohane – For decades, Papua New Guinean troops say they have watched as Indonesian forces violated PNG sovereignty "up to a dozen times per year".

At times the TNI (Indonesian armed forces) crossed the border between Indonesian Papua and PNG to hunt animals. Sometimes they entered to intimidate refugees living along the border.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – Members of militant group Jemaah Ansharut Daulah have tried to go into hiding in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, police said on Thursday following the arrests of eight suspected militants there.

Jakarta – The public prosecutor charged six Papua activists, Surya Anta, Charles Kossay, Dano Tabuni, Isay Wenda, Ambrosius Mulait and Arina Elopere with makar and criminal conspiracy during their formal arraignment at the first hearing at Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday December 19.

Jakarta – Surya Anta and five other Papua activists heard the formal charges against them during the first hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday December 19. Following their arraignment, Anta and the other defendants presented emotional speeches to the court.

Jakarta – An Indonesian prosecutor charged five men and a woman with treason on Thursday, accusing them of organizing a protest in Jakarta demanding independence for the easternmost province of Papua.

The peaceful protest of about 100 people had been held outside the presidential palace and military headquarters on Aug. 28 and followed a period of unrest in Papua.

Antara, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I member, Sukamta, officially requests the central government to eradicate armed groups in Papua following a shootout that broke between armed forces (TNI) army with a Papuan armed group on Tuesday, December 17.

Erwin Renaldi and Tasha Wibawa – The West Papuan Morning Star flag has been a point of contention across Indonesia for decades. For many West Papuans, it represents freedoms that have been taken away.

Jakarta – Indonesia's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a Polish tourist who was convicted of treason after meeting with Papuan independence supporters and instead increased his prison term, a lawyer says.

Jakub Skrzypski was arrested in August last year in Wamena in easternmost Papua province and was accused of plotting against the Indonesian state.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Two military officers and a policeman have been killed during recent clashes in Papua, sparking fear among residents of the predominantly Christian region with the conflicts breaking out just one week prior to Christmas day.

Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – Two soldiers from the Indonesian Military, or TNI, were killed in a gunfight with an armed criminal group in Sugapa in Papua's Intan Jaya district on Tuesday, a statement from the TNI said on Wednesday.

Indonesia's Supreme Court has increased the jail term for a Polish man convicted of treason over his alleged links to separatist fighters in restive Papua, raising the sentence to seven years from five, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Two Indonesian soldiers have been shot dead in Indonesia's eastern-most province of Papua, ambushed by separatist rebels while transporting goods to a village in a remote area.

Papua has suffered a simmering conflict for decades, led by a mostly poorly armed and fractured separatist movement.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD says that Indonesia is entitled to take any and all measures to hold on to Papua.

He said this in relation to demands for a referendum on self-determination for Papua in the name of international law.

Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court postponed the trial of six activists accused of treason relating to Papuan antiracism protests because the prosecutors had provided incomplete dossiers.

The first hearing, planned for Monday, was pushed to Thursday after the defense protested that the prosecutors had sent a complete dossier for only one suspect.

Jakarta – Five of the Papua activists taking part in the first court hearing in a treason case at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday December 16 wore traditional kari-kari headdresses from the eastern most part of Indonesia.

Jakarta – The panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court have postponed the first court hearing which was to hear the reading of the charges against Surya Anta and five other Papua activists.

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.

Jakarta – Indonesian police said on Saturday they have arrested seven suspected Islamic militants in the country's easternmost Papua province as authorities beef up security ahead of Christmas and New Year's celebrations.

Seven Pacific island nations have called for a UN investigation into allegations of human rights abuses in Indonesia's West Papua and Papua provinces, where a separatist movement has simmered for decades.

Kenya – Global Pan Africanism Network leader met West Papuan Independence Leader, Mr. Benny Wenda, on 8th December in Nairobi, Kenya.

It was a defining moment for Africa-West Papua relations as West Papuan leader attended the 9th African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States summit.

Eko Wahyudi, Jakarta – People of Asmat, Papua voiced complaints about the power outage which has occurred since a month ago in the region. The blackout was reportedly caused by a damaged power plant belonged to state-owned electricity firm PLN.

Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – The lawyer of six Papuan activists, Michael Hilman, considered the court's ruling rejecting the pretrial motion filed by his clients unfair. Michael said those activists named suspects of alleged treason were treated unjustly either by the police or court.

Adi Briantika – The sole judge at the South Jakarta District Court, Agus Widodo, has rejected a pretrial suit by six Papuan political prisoners who have been charged with alleged treason.

Indonesian government officials have alleged that permits underpinning a multi-billion dollar plantation project in Papua province were falsified, leading to the criminal clear-cutting of a vast area of rainforest.

Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – A number of people staged a demonstration in front of the South Jakarta District Court building on Tuesday afternoon, December 10, 2019. They demanded the release of the six Papuan activists who are suspected of treason.

University students and human rights activists staged a rally on Sunday in West Papua demanding Indonesia's President Joko Widodo fulfil his vow to settle a human rights violation case.

Five people, including four high school students, were allegedly shot and killed by Indonesian soldiers on 8 December 2014, during a protest in Paniai.

Jakarta – Agus Widodo, the sole judge in a pretrial suit submitted by six Papua activists charged with treason, has rejected all of the points in the appeal saying that the plaintiff's appeal was flawed in formal and material terms.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – Around 112 people were arrested by police in several towns of Papua and Papua Barat provinces within a week ahead to 1 December 2019 under the treason article concerning the Morning Star flag-raising.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – University students and human rights activists staged a rally on Sunday in Sorong, West Papua, demanding that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo fulfill his vow to settle a human rights violation case in Paniai, Papua.

James Balowski – Surya Anta Ginting, the national spokesperson for the pro-independence Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) – who along with five other Papuan activists is being held in Jakarta's notorious Salemba prison awaiting trial on treason charges – is reportedly seriously ill.

Jakarta – An exhibition at Darmawangsa Residence in South Jakarta brings the art of Papua's Kamoro tribe to the capital and lets visitors place bids on sculptures and plait work from Indonesia's far east.

Jakarta – On Thursday December 5 the South Jakarta District Court accepted material evidence during a pretrial suit challenging treason charges against Surya Anta and five other Papuan suspects. The evidence, which was in the form of documents, was handed over by the defendant, the Metro Jaya regional police.

Muhsidin, Rahmad Nasution, Biak, Papua – The Papuan provincial government has ordered all district and city administrations to ban sales of alcoholic drinks ahead of the Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations, and the convening of the 2020 National Games (PON).

The list of political prisoners in Indonesia's West Papua and Papua provinces is growing higher, as at least 110 people were arrested for raising the Papuan national flag over the weekend. Police charged 20 people with treason (makar), which carries a maximum 20-year prison term.