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

Dear Jacinda Ardern and Winston Peters,

A logging company, PT Wanagalang Utama, is felling timber on indigenous land from Aisnak, in the Far South East Aifat subdistrict, Maybrat Regency, to as far as South Moskona subdistrict, Bintuni Bay Regency, in Papua Barat province.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is calling on the government to establish an independent team to investigate the fatal shooting of two people in Mimika, Papua, on April 13.

Sixty three political prisoners charged with treason in Indonesia have appealed to the United Nations for immediate release.

Lawyers Jennifer Robinson and Veronica Koman, supported by human rights organisation TAPOL, filed the joint appeal with the UN working group on Arbitrary Detention and UN Special Rapporteurs.

Jennifer Robinson and Veronica Koman with the support of TAPOL – Sixty-three political prisoners detained on treason charges in Indonesia have made a joint urgent appeal to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and UN Special Rapporteurs in response to the global coronavirus pandemic.

Jakarta – Human Rights lawyers Veronica Koman and Jennifer Robinson have sent a letter to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the United Nations Special Rapporteur asking them to urge the Indonesia government to release 63 political prisoners (tapol) indicted on charges of treason related to the free Papua movement.

Dian Septiari, Jakarta – With their plight largely ignored by the public, 63 Indonesians detained on treason charges have turned to the United Nations for help, hoping they could be saved from the threat posed by the COVID-19 disease in the country's overcrowded prisons.

Ronna Nirmala and Tia Asmara, Jakarta – More than 60 political prisoners, mostly Papuan activists detained for pro-independence protests, wrote a letter to the United Nations for help in urging Indonesia to release them unconditionally, saying they were at risk of contracting the coronavirus, human rights lawyers said Thursday

Victor Mambor and Nina A. Loasana, Jayapura and Jakarta – The bodies of two Papuan men bearing gunshot wounds have been found along a river near the complex of gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia in Mimika regency, Papua. It is believed they were shot and killed by security forces.

Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Jakarta – Indonesia's military will investigate an incident in the easternmost region of Papua in which two men were shot dead, it said on Wednesday, after rights activists and a family member said the men were wrongly identified as separatist rebels.

A West Papuan family is asking questions about the circumstances around the killing of their son and his friend in Mimika regency on Monday.

Media reports from Papua say the two university students, Eden Bebari and Ronny Wandik, aged 19 and 21, were killed by Indonesian military personnel about halfway between the city of Timika and the giant Freeport gold mine.

Pacific Media Watch – The Covid-19 coronavirus is "exacerbating tensions" in Indonesia's West Papua region and exposing the "shortcomings" of Jakarta government policy, warns a conflict watchdog group.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Indonesia Police Watch said that the clash between the military and police officers in Mamberamo, Papua, was started from the dispute regarding the rental of motorcycles.

"Based on the chronology report received by IPW, the clash starts from the rental of a motorcycle," said IPW presidium head Neta S. Pane to Tempo on Monday, April 13.

Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – The trail of six Papuan activists is to be held online or long-distance amid the enforcement of large scale social restrictions or PSBB in Jakarta to contain the corona virus. The activists are scheduled to read out their defense or pledoi (defense speech) during the next hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court which will be held later today.

Timika, Indonesia – Indonesian security forces shot and killed three separatist rebels who were suspected in an attack that killed a New Zealander near the world's largest gold mine in the easternmost province of Papua, police said Saturday.

Ronna Nirmala, Jakarta – Government security forces in Indonesia's Papua province killed two suspected separatist rebels and arrested another during a raid on their hideout, a police spokesman said Friday.

Agung Sandy Lesmana and Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari – The Free Papua Organisation (OPM) is offering a ceasefire in the midst of the corona virus pandemic. The option of a ceasefire however must also be agreed to by the Indonesian government by withdrawing all non-organic troops from Papua.

Johnny Blades – An Indonesian human rights expert has called for New Zealand police help after a deadly attack on mine company staff in West Papua.

Last week's shooting attack at PT Freeport Indonesia's offices in the leafy town of Kuala Kencana near Timika left a New Zealander dead and two other employees seriously injured.

Apriza Pinandita, Jakarta – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for an independent investigation into the recent murder of a New Zealander Freeport employee by members of an armed group in Mimika regency, Papua

Graeme Thomas Wall, an employee of gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia, was shot dead by gunmen in Timika last week.

Basten Gokkon – Local authorities and indigenous communities in Indonesia's Papua region have imposed a sweeping lockdown to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Markus You, Nabire – It is hoped that a new policy by Justice and Human Rights Minister (Menkumham) Yasonna Laoly to release thousands of convicted criminals from prisons across Indonesia will not discriminate against Papuan political prisoners (tapol) who are still incarcerated in jail that were arrested in related to the wave of mass actions against racism in August and September

Indonesian authorities have released dozens of prisoners from a main prison in West Papua's highlands.

Thirty prisoners were released from Wamena prison, as authorities seek to prevent the spread of covid-19 in Indonesia's overcrowded jails.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – While international researchers have backed a government decision made in February to halt the development of new oil palm plantations in Papua in favor of "greener" cash crops, activists fear that the shift in policy will have no effect on the lives of poor, indigenous Papuans and may also have little effect on deforestation.

Jakarta – The public prosecutor has demanded that six Papuan activists each be sentenced to one year and five months in jail. The prosecutor said that the six defendants had been proven to have violated Article 106 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph 1 of KUHP 1 on treason.

We appreciate steps taken by the Government to free prisoners, particularly child prisoners, through the assimilation system, conditional release, conditional holiday and holiday for those approaching their release date. However, we also urge the Government to apply this decision in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.

Laurens Ikinia – A sad story has taken place again in the PT Freeport Indonesia gold and copper mine area near Timika in West Papua on Monday with one New Zealander shot dead and two other workers being severely wounded as reported by Asia Pacific Report yesterday.

John McBeth, Jakarta – With most Indonesians preoccupied with a coronavirus outbreak, security officials were caught off guard when at least three gunmen penetrated the US-based Freeport mining company's residential housing area on Papua's south coast, killing a New Zealand employee and wounding six other local workers.

Apriza Pinandita, Jakarta – The Indonesian Embassy in Wellington has expressed its deepest condolences over the shooting incident that left a New Zealander employee of the gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia in Papua dead and in which several Indonesian staff were also wounded.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – A foreign employee of gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia was shot dead on Monday by gunmen in Timika, the capital city of Mimika regency in Papua.

Jakarta – The security and welfare approach have failed to resolve the conflict in Papua. The president needs to establish a special team to bring about dialog.

Benny Mawel and Victor Mambor, Jayapura, Papua – Papua is set to restrict entry into the province both through sea and air travel in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia's easternmost region.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – An Indonesian Air Force CASA CN A-2909 plane was shot at by a faction of the National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB) while flying over Serambakon district in Pegunungan Bintang regency, Papua, at 4,800 feet on Monday.

The plane, which had taken off from Jayapura, was shot at on Monday at 8:50 a.m. local time.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) challenge the Government of Indonesia to provide access for an independent investigation team investigating perpetrators behind the burning of a church in Tembagapura Sub-district, Mimika Regency, Papua in a press released by TPNPB.

Belinda Lopez for Earshot – In the wake of the Lindt cafe attack in Sydney, a hashtag made its way around the world: #illridewithyou.

The gunman had forced hostages to hold up a flag of the Shahada, the Islamic affirmation of faith, and many Muslims feared a backlash.

Len Garae – The Vanuatu West Papua Association and Unification Committee (VWPAUC) Chairman, Pastor Allan Nafuki, has welcomed two new young members into the West Papua Struggle; late Andy Ayamiseba's second born son, Harold Ayamiseba and an Australian, Tom Young.

Chandra Iswinarno, Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has return the investigation dossier on alleged gross human rights (HAM) violations during the bloody Paniai incident to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM).

Responding to this, the Komnas HAM suspects that there is potential for the investigation into the case to come to a halt.

The Leader of Opposition Hon. Matthew Wale on Thursday met with the Spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Mr. Jacob Rumbiak.

Mr. Rumbiak updated Hon. Wale on the human rights situation in West Papua, and the ongoing struggle for self-determination by West Papuans.

Robert Isidorus, Jayapura – The Indonesian Military and National Police have accused what they call an "armed criminal group," or KKB, of burning down a church in Tembagapura, Papua, on March 12.

But a spokesperson for the National Liberation Army of West Papua-Free Papua Movement, Sebby Sambom, denied the allegation.

Human development index figures are improving in Papuan provinces of Indonesia. Latest figures from Indonesia's national statistics agency show human development progress in both Papua and West Papua provinces.

As I stated last week, the people of West Papua face a new double crisis: a humanitarian crisis caused by Indonesian military operations, and a medical crisis caused by coronavirus. Indonesian colonialism, which has destroyed our way of life and left us without healthcare or the natural support of our environment, has increased the risks of coronavirus to my people.

An academic from West Papua says Indonesian plans to further divide up the region will only enhance dependency on Jakarta.

Indonesia's chief security minister Mohammad Mahfud said the govenment was considering options for creating more provinces in Papua region, which is currently administered as two provinces.

Timika, Indonesia – Four Papuan independence fighters were killed in an ongoing clash between security forces and a rebel group near the world's largest gold mine in Indonesia's easternmost Papua region, police and rebels said Monday.

Len Garae – In the latest emergency joint meeting organised by the Executive Committees of United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) and Vanuatu West Papua Association and Unification Committee (VWPAUC) at the Presbyterian Church Conference Hall in Port Vila last Saturday, members of both organisations have emphasised the importance of intense lobbying with member countries

Sri Krishnamurthi – A remarkable 120 West Papuan students – all on scholarships – are studying in New Zealand, says Laurens Ikinia, a postgraduate student at Auckland University of Technology.

All-in-all, there are more than 600 Papuan students currently abroad in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand, says Ikinia, a masters student in communication studies.

Len Garae – An urgent meeting between the Executives of United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) and Vanuatu Free West Papua Association (VFWPA) in Port Vila yesterday, has expressed outrage over the seeming silence by Jakarta to respond to the Pacific Islands Forum and ACP calls for Indonesia to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Right into West Papua, to see firstha

Jayapura – The public prosecutor failed to present any witnesses during the fourth court hearing at the Sorong District Court on March 12 in a case related to anti-racist protest in Papua. The hearing was marked by a protest action by activists from the Justice Concern Forum for Monkeys who stood in front of the court building covering their mouths with masking tape.

Ivany Atina Arbi, Jakarta – The Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) has urged the government to deploy Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) personnel to restive areas of Papua to provide assistance to tens of thousands internally displaced people forced to flee their homes due to conflicts between the military and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).

Diana Mariska, Jakarta – Indonesia's chief security minister Mahfud M.D. said the government would continue to provide a special autonomy fund for Papua while preparing a new law to extend it.

Aisha R. Kusumasomantri, Depok – Until today, the government's approach in Papua stresses security, even though gradual attempts at comprehensive counterinsurgency started alongside the 1998 democratic reforms. The importance of "population support" has been considered one of the decisive factors for the government's claim of having the upper hand in Papua so far.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said the government was seeking solutions to a variety of problems occurring in Papua. One of the efforts done was by applying a welfare-based approach.