Antara, Jakarta – Papua Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw has confirmed the death of a police officer in a shootout with armed criminal group (KKB) in Kali Kabur, around Arwanop, in Indonesia's easternmost province.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua remains hopeful it will be granted greater status in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The Movement has observer status in the MSG, whose full members are Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia's FLNKS group.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A court in Indonesia has ordered the government to publish detailed maps of oil palm plantations in the country's easternmost Papua region, an area increasingly targeted by the plantation and logging companies that have depleted much of the tropical rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo.

The governor of Papua New Guinea's capital says a Free West Papua Campaign secretariat will be established in his city.

Powes Parkop made the announcement in Port Moresby in his latest move to raise awareness about human rights issues in PNG's neighbouring Indonesian-ruled territory of West Papua.

Evarukdijati, Sri Haryati, Jayapura, Papua – Three people were injured, including a member of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob), in an exchange of fire between security forces and an armed group in Nduga, Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen Paulus Waterpauw confirmed here on Thursday.

Ernes Broning Kakisina, Yuni A, Sorong, Papua – Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan encouraged the local governments and community of Papua and West Papua to lower investment in palm plantations.

Ade Irma Junida/Aria Cindyara, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has launched a green investment concept in Papua and West Papua.

Ernes Broning Kakisina/Suharto, Sorong, W Papua – The Indonesian government in association with Yayasan Inisiatif Dagang Hijau (Green Trade Initiative Foundation) took a total of 45 foreign investors to witness firsthand the business potential in the country's eastern provinces of Papua and West Papua.

Diana Mariska, Jakarta – Indonesia's chief security minister has confirmed the renewal of a presidential instruction, or Inpres, to authorize further development in Papua – the country's easternmost region – under a single government command.

Aryo Wisanggeni G, Jayapura – Colonel Eko Daryanto, the military public relations chief of Cenderawasih Military Command, says a victim killed on Tuesday (18/2/2020) in the armed conflict in Yaparo Village of Sugapa Sub-district, Intan Jaya Regency was an insurgent group member. He also claims that a boy killed in the same shooting location shot by the armed group.

Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – The Jayapura District Court found guilty six defendants involved in a mass riot following the anti-racism protests in Papua on 29 August 2019.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud Md said the government was preparing a legal instrument related to the handling of Papua.

"[We are] preparing a presidential instruction or Inpres on more comprehensive handling of Papua," said Mahfud in his office, Jakarta on Tuesday, February 25.

Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – Two civilians reportedly killed in a joint military operation at Yoparu Village of Sugapa Sub-district, Intan Jayapura Regency on Tuesday (18/2/2020). The report also informs two Papuan women have been injured during the gun conflict and currently are under medical treatment. However, no release so far made by the security forces related to the report.

Frank Rai – National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has lashed out at the Australian government for being tight-lipped and ignorant on the West Papua issue in Indonesia.

Having fled Indonesian-rule in his homeland, Mr Ayamiseba became a central figure in advancing the West Papuan independence cause in regional fora.

Based in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, he was instrumental in establishing the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation which became an effective regional lobbying group.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – An elementary school student in Papua province was killed and another injured after being shot during a clash between the Indonesian military and rebels that also claimed the lives of two other people.

Asmiati Malik – The Indonesian government plans to evaluate the efficacy of special funds for Papua. These funds have been disbursed to the easternmost region for nearly two decades.

Angela Flassy, Jayapura, Jubi – Gustaf Kawer, Director of Association of Law Enforcement and Human Right Advocates in Papua (PAHAM) said the document on political prisoners revealed by human rights activities Veronica Koman is valid, as the coalition has been working on the record.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura, Indonesia – Security forces shot dead an elementary school student during an alleged firefight in Papua that killed two people dead and injured two others, a local Catholic leader said Thursday, in the latest violence in Indonesia's troubled easternmost province.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Human rights groups have condemned the Indonesian government's rejection of an investigation that concluded the military committed a "gross human rights violation" when it shot four students dead and injured more than 20 other people during a December 2014 protest in Papua.

Jakarta – Indonesian security forces shot dead an 18-year-old Papuan separatist during a shootout, a military spokesman said on Wednesday, though a separatist group disputed the account and said the victim was a civilian.

Yance Wenda, Sentani, Jubi – A local parliament member of Lanny Jaya Girmin Wenda urges military and police to withdraw their troops from Popome Elementary School in Mokoni subdistrict.

Indra Arief P, Sri Haryati, Jakarta – Government will act on a report of Komnas HAM on alleged human rights violations in Paniai, Papua, on December 7 and 8, 2014, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD stated. The process to make the report transparent to the public would be followed up, Mahfud assured.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura, Indonesia – The father of a high school student who was one of four protesters killed by soldiers in Indonesia's troubled Papua province in 2014 demanded justice for his son, a day after the National Commission on Human Rights ruled the shooting "a gross violation."

Gisela Swaragita, Jakarta – Indonesian human rights groups have criticized President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration for rejecting a declaration by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) that a fatal incident in Paniai regency in Papua in 2014 constituted a "gross human rights violation".

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has stated that he is not interested in further examining the document containing data on Papuan political prisoners and people who died due to the conflict in Nduga, Papua, because they are incomplete.

Fikri Arigi, Jakarta – Setara Institute demanded President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo establish a human rights court in regards to the Paniai shootings in Papua, following in the firm stand by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano and Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko has expressed his disagreement with the National Commission on Human Rights' (Komnas HAM) recent declaration that the shootings in Paniai, Papua in December 2014 were a "gross human rights violation".

Jakarta – Indonesia's military shot dead four students in the country's restive Papua region during 2014 protests and carried out "gross human rights violations", a commission investigating the uprising concluded Monday.

Reza Gunadha and Stephanus Aranditio – Two Papuan political prisoners, Dano Anes Tabuni and Ambrosius Mulait, wrote the word "sampah" (rubbish) on their bodies during a court hearing to cross-examine witnesses at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday February 17.

Hendrina DK, Sri Haryati, Jayapura, Papua – Papua Police rejected a report detailing deaths of 57 political prisoners and 243 civilians in Papua since December 2018, submitted by Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman and fellow activists to President Joko Widodo recently.

Jakarta – Rebels in Indonesia's Papua province said Saturday they had seized weapons and ammunition from a military helicopter that crashed eight months ago in jungle-covered mountains.

Dyaning Pangestika, Jakarta – Coordinating Legal, Political and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD clarified on Thursday that he did not refer to documents on the victims of human rights violations in West Papua recently handed over to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as trash.

Jakarta – Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman has released data on 57 political prisoners and 243 Papuan who have been killed allegedly as a result of military operations since 2018.

Jakarta – Three Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel have been dishonorably discharged and sentenced to prison after a military tribunal found them guilty of supplying thousands rounds of ammunition to an armed rebel group in Papua.

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".

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD has clarified his statement about documents being "rubbish".

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) deputy coordinator, Feri Kusuma, disapproves of the government's decision in mobilizing additional Indonesian Army troops (TNI AD) to a military district command (Koramil) in West Papua.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.