Jakarta – On Friday August 30 the Metro Jaya regional police arrested two people on charges of treason (makar) for allegedly flying the Morning Star flag in front of the State Place during a rally on Wednesday August 28.

Jakarta – Scores of students from Papua and West Papua plan to surrender themselves to the Metro Jaya regional police following the arrest of two activists who took part in a rally at the State Palace in Central Jakarta which ended in the raising of the Morning Star flag.

They are currently gathering on the sidewalk in front of the Metro Jaya police headquarters.

Jakarta – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson Victor Yeimo says that they are calling for a national strike throughout the territory claimed to be West Papua to demand a referendum or an act of self-determination through a popular vote.

Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – The government wants those responsible for provoking unrest in Papua and West Papua to immediately stop their actions, Chief Security Minister Wiranto said on Friday evening.

Jakarta – Indonesia's chief security minister on Friday urged calm in the easternmost region of Papua on Friday after two weeks of sometimes violent protests, saying demands from demonstrators for an investigation into racism had been met.

The people of West Papua need urgent international attention. I am calling on all the world's governments, parliamentarians and media to shine the spotlight on West Papua. If the world and international media ignores West Papua now, the Indonesian security services may turn it into a bloodbath.

Jakarta (Antara) – Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) member Ahmad Suaedy says the security operations by the National Police (Polri) and Armed Forces (TNI) in Nduga, Papua, are hampering the public services in the region.

Mackenzie Smith – Thousands of Papuans in Indonesia are occupying the governor's office, a protest organiser says, after several government buildings were torched in the provincial capital Jayapura on Thursday.

Michael Andrew – As Timor-Leste celebrates 20 years since the landmark vote that determined its independence from Indonesian rule, activists are urging the New Zealand government not to repeat mistakes from the past and back West Papuan independence until the last minute.

Pacific Media Watch – Papuan demands for a referendum on self-determination have erupted more strongly amid fears of civilian casualties in the Melanesian provinces of Papua and West Papua.

A government-imposed internet blackout is in place following a two-week wave of protests triggered by racial abuse against Papuan students in East Java, reports The Jakarta Post.

Protesters in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua have set buildings ablaze in the provincial capital Jayapura, forcing the state power firm to cut off electricity in some districts, state media and an executive of the utility said.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Wiranto, demanded Papuans immediately stop the mass demonstrations staged in all areas of the province.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – The National Cyber and Encryption Agency (BSSN) has discovered foreign social media accounts that deliberately spread false reports or hoaxes on conditions in Papua.

Caesar Akbar, Jakarta (Antara) – The Association of Indonesian Travel Companies (Asita) asked President Joko Widodo or Jokowi to immediately resolve the issues in Papua and West Papua. Asita said that travel agents need to be able to convince potential tourists that Indonesia is safe.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – Gojek announced that it has temporarily halted operations of its app services in the Papua Province following the massive protests that happened in the past week. The company's decision, according to Go-Jek spokesperson Michael Say, is due to security concerns.

Jakarta (Antara) – The Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) Minister Rudiantara announced that the lack of cellular services in Jayapura, Papua, and its vicinity are caused by the acts of "unknown people" who sabotaged the region's main optical telecommunication network.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Wiranto says that the government is open to dialogue with all parties to improve the situation in Papua, but it will not discuss a referendum or Papuan independence.

Sasmito Matrim – Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology said Friday that it would continue to block telecommunication services in Papua and West Papua, in an effort, it said, to restore security in the wake of civil unrest that flared in several cities over allegedly racist attacks on Papuan students.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Wiranto, has pledged to withdraw military troops from Nduga, Papua, should conditions return to normal.

Karina M. Tehusijarana, Jakarta – YouTube has blocked a satirical video about West Papua from being viewed in Indonesia following a "legal complaint from the government".

The video, created by Australian film and media company The Juice Media, satirizes the Australian government's policies on West Papua as part of the company's Honest Government Ad series.

Six Papuan civilians have been killed and at least three others wounded after Indonesian security forces opened fire at a rally in Deiyai regency, Papua, as protests intensified, report news media.

Jakarta – Tri Susanti, the field coordinator of a protest that led to racist abuse against Papuan university students in Surabaya, East Java, has been named a suspect of hate speech, provocation and misinformation in relation to the incident.

Jakarta – Persecution and racial discrimination towards Papuan students in Malang and Surabaya cannot be justified for any reason whatsoever. Those responsible must be prosecuted. Justice needs to be upheld, not only to assuage the anger of the Papuans but also to bring about a deterrent effect.

Jamie Tahana – As thousands of Papuans took to the streets for a second week of mass demonstrations, Pacific leaders have conceded that, to date, their stance on West Papua has achieved little.

Mackenzie Smith – Calm has returned to the West Papuan regency of Deiyai, where at least two protestors and a soldier were killed in a bloody clash on Wednesday, Indonesia's Foreign Ministry says.

Tasha Wibawa and Nurina Savitri – At least one soldier and two civilians have died in the latest violence in the embattled Indonesian province of Papua.

Ben Doherty and agencies – Up to six protesters and one soldier have been killed in clashes across the restive West Papua and Papua provinces, although protesters and police dispute how many have died.

Jakarta (Antara) – The rally in Waena, Jayapura, Papua, Thursday, August 29, turned into anarchy and forced the police to shoot tear gas at protesters. They staged a rally to condemn racism against Papuan students in Surabaya.

Jakarta – The rally in Jayapura, Papua on Thursday, August 29 left the provincial capital paralyzed. Reports said that the city is gripped by a tense atmosphere.

Shopping centers and offices were closed since 12:30 East Indonesia Time. Antara reported that the Jayapura Mall, the biggest shopping center in the city, is also closed.

Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified all foreign representatives in Indonesia on Thursday about Wednesday's violence in Papua, which resulted in the deaths of two civilians and a soldier.

Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights today condemns the fatal shootings in the military attack on protestors in Deiyai yesterday. Paula Makabory spokesperson for Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights (IPAHR) calls for an end to the violence and help for the shooting victims.

Aries Sudiono & Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – East Java Police on Wednesday charged Tri Susanti a.k.a. Susi, the woman behind an incident in Surabaya, East Java, on Aug, 17 which saw an angry mob besiege a boarding house occupied by Papuan students, with hate speech.

The Governor of Papua says the Indonesian president is willing to discuss Papuan demands for an independence referendum.

Lukas Enembe told reporters after meeting with Joko Widodo in Jakarta that a referendum was the people's aspiration.

Indonesian authorities have opened fire on Papuan protesters, killing six people, as they tried to storm a local government office in the Deiyai region, news website Suarapapua.com reported, citing a separatist group spokesman.

Jakarta (AFP) – A soldier was killed in Indonesia's Papua region on Wednesday (Aug 28) during a clash with separatist protesters, officials said, with the territory gripped by unrest.

A group of police and military personnel were attacked by Papuans armed with machetes and bows and arrows, Papua military spokesman Eko Daryanto said.

Domingos Gomes, Dili – Timor-Leste national police (PNTL) have arrested 46 students at a West Papua independence solidarity protest in Dili, amid accusations the group failed to get permission to hold their demonstration in public.

Nikolas P, Rahmad Nasution, Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands – Tens of activists of the Tanjungpinang-Bintan Student Alliance staged a peaceful rally here on Tuesday to show their solidarity with the Papuan students in Malang, East Java, and urge the government to eliminate all forms of racism against the Papuans.

Biak, Papua – Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Air Chief Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto and National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian held a dialog with several representatives of Papuan customary communities in Biak Numfor District, Papua Province, on Tuesday.

Jakarta – Papuan students living in a dormitory on Jl. Kalasan in Surabaya, East Java refused to welcome East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa and Papua Governor Lukas Enembe when the two visited their dorm on Tuesday evening.

Dias Prasongko, Jakarta – Indonesian Ombudsman official Alvin Lie opined the internet block policy in Papua and West Papua applied because the government failed to implement the user identity policy, especially prepaid mobile users.

As a result, the government could not detect hoax and provocative contents without shutting off the system.

Jakarta – Scores of Papuan students have again flown the Morning Star flag during a protest action demanding a referendum for Papua in front of the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday August 28. They also asked President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to meet with them.

The Morning Star flag was also flown during a similar protest in front of the State Palace last week.

Donny Fernando, Jakarta – The demands by Papuans for a referendum on self-determination spread to Jakarta on Wednesday, amid reports of civilian fatalities in Papua.

Hundreds of Papuan students took to the streets in Central Jakarta following similar protests in the highlands of Papua earlier this week.

Kornelius Purba, Jakarta – Almost no one, including Dili Catholic Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and independence fighter Kay Rale Xanana Gusmao, thought their homeland East Timor could gain independence in such a short time.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) urged the Indonesian government to revoke its internet block, specifically the bandwidth throttling imposed in Papua. SAFEnet said that the government's policy has severely limited access to public services and information.

Pacific Media Watch – A senior Jakarta Post managing editor has predicted it is possible that West Papua may face a self-determination vote following the Timor-Leste example and this could pave the way for independence.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko Widodo is willing to meet Papua and West Papua leaders to discuss their independence referendum demands, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said.

Referendum calls "were the people's aspiration", Enembe told reporters, after meeting with Joko in Jakarta on Monday.

Rights groups say an internet blackout in Indonesia's West Papua marks a dangerous violation of free speech protections. The restrictions were imposed by Indonesia earlier this month as protests escalated in response to racism toward Papuans.

Mackenzie Smith reports.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – Brawijaya Military Command (Kodam) head of information Lieutenant Colonel Imam Haryadi announced that five Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) members will face discharge for allegedly participating in the besieging of a Papuan dormitory in Surabaya.

Caesar Akbar, Jakarta – The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) Executive Director, Anggara, said that his institution is in the midst of taking legal steps against the government's policy upon blocking the internet connection in Papua Province and West Papua, which has lasted since Wednesday, August 21.

Jakarta – Thousands of Papuans staged another series of rallies on Monday (Aug 26) in several towns of Indonesia's easternmost region, after protests that erupted last week over perceived ethnic discrimination provoked some calls for independence.