Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – Septer Manufandu, the former Executive Secretary of Non-Governmental Organization Working Forum of Papua (FOKER LSM Papua), stated stakeholders in Papua need to the right solution to strict the flow of migration into Papua.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – Chief of the National Police General Tito Karnavian said that Papua remains as one of the regions which will receive special attention during the 2019 Presidential Election.

Budiarti Utami Putri, Jakarta – Human rights organization Amnesty International Indonesia demanded President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to fulfill his promises to resolve the alleged violation of human rights in Papua.

Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Jakarta – A Polish man detained in Indonesia late last month could face life imprisonment having been charged with plotting against the state after being named a suspect in a conspiracy to smuggle arms to separatists in Papua, a police spokesman said on Monday (10/09).

An environmental NGO says the Forestry Stewardship Council's reputation is at stake over a case of deforestation in Indonesia's Papua province.

The international forest protection agency has been considering a complaint laid by the group Mighty Earth over a Korean company involved in large-scale deforestation and oil palm planting in Papua.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-045-2018

Dear Friends,

Dyaning Pangestika & Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Human rights activists have demanded the immediate release of Papuan student Simon Carlos Magal and Polish citizen Jakub Fabian Skrzypski, who have been detained by the Wamena Police over illegal arms deal allegations.

London, New York – TAPOL and the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) call for immediate release of Simon Carlos Magal and Jakub Fabian Skrzypski. In the event that Mr. Skrzypski is prosecuted, we call on all representative parties to ensure that he is afforded a fair trial.

Vanuatu's Honourary Consul to the Netherlands has suggested that those involved in the West Papua struggle for self determination, should examine the topic from all angles.

The Daily Post newspaper reports that Elisabeth van Vliet's opinion is that all international avenues are not fully utilised to press the West Papuan's position forward.

Royson Willie – One of the regionalism priorities mentioned in the Final Communique of the Pacific Islands Forum Summit in Nauru this week was the engagement by Forum countries on issues affecting West Papua.

UA: 165/18 Index: ASA 21/9048/2018 Indonesia

Nic Maclellan, Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru – Despite the lack of formal endorsement from this week's Pacific Island Forum in Nauru, Vanuatu will continue an initiative to have West Papua re-listed as a non-self-governing territory at the United Nations.

Makereta Komai (PACNEWS News), Nauru – The Indonesian Government is keen to engage more with Pacific Island Countries as its steps up its presence in the region.

Indonesia's government is proposing $US4 million in funding towards influencing Pacific Island countries to change their position on Papua.

The Kompas newspaper reports the country's top security minister, Wiranto, who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, saying the money would be used to finance soft diplomacy efforts in the South Pacific.

Godwin Ligo – "It is high time for the international community and the United Nations (UN) to call on Indonesia to stop mass killings of innocent West Papuan Melanesians. It is an unthinkable and inhumane act by Indonesia to continue the genocide practices it is carrying out on indigenous Melanesians in West Papua. It must be stopped."

Makereta Komai, PACNEWS, Nauru – The government of Vanuatu is pursuing bilateral discussions with Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru this week to seek their support for its proposed resolution to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to relist West Papua on the UN Decolonisation committee.

Kristian Erdianto, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Wiranto is proposing an additional budget of 60 billion rupiah to fund diplomatic efforts related to the Papua problem.

Dozens of West Papuans were arrested by Indonesian police in Jayapura yesterday for staging a demonstration for self-determination.

According to local media reports, as many as 79 people were arrested after holding a peaceful demonstration in the capital of Papua province.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe ensures three millions of the Papuans will vote for the incumbent Presidential Candidate Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in the 2019 presidential election.

"There is no doubt that three million people will vote for Jokowi," Lukas said at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday, September 5.

Jakarta – Gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) has been given a one-month special mining permit (IUPK) extension, which is required for the company to import its copper concentrates.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – Rights activists in the restive Indonesian province of Papua have expressed concern over the fate of a student arrested on treason charges.

Simon Carlos Magal, 26, was arrested in Timika district on Sept. 1 after leaving the office of the Anti-Violence and Human Rights Foundation, a local human rights group.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Police have arrested scores of protesters at a demonstration organised by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) as they were gathering at Sentani Post 7 in Jayapura.

"Forty-five of us are [being held] at the Jayapura Polres [district police] in Doyo", Sentani regional action coordinator Samuel Wenda told Jubi on Tuesday September 4.

AWPA calls on the Pacific Islands Forum leaders to condemn the arrest of 80 West Papuan activists by the Indonesian security forces.

The activists were holding a rally in support of the Pacific Islands Forum urging the PIF leaders to support Vanuatu's call to bring the issue of West Papua to the UN.

A total of 79 protesters from the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) were arrested for engaging in a non-violent protest in Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia, on Tuesday, 4 September 2018.

Bastian Tebai, Jayapura – This morning, on Monday September 3, 14 participants of a peaceful action organized by the Papuan People's Democratic Movement (Garda Papua) were arrested by police.

Hengky Yeimo, Jayapura – Jayapura Municipal Police Chief the Adjunct Senior Police Commissionaire Gustav R. Urbinas said, four students of STIKOM (Communication College), Muhammadiyah Jayapura are still be interrogated about the morning star 'noken' (Papuan traditional bag) in their campus.

Jakarta – Police say a Polish man detained in Indonesia's troubled Papua region on suspicion of links to separatists will be tried there instead of being deported.

Pacific Island civil society says the Pacific Island Forum leaders must support Vanuatu's effort to take the issue of West Papua to the UN.

A New Zealand-based West Papua advocacy group has appealed to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and other leaders meeting at the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru next week to support Vanuatu's United Nations initiative.

Four West Papuan students were arrested on Tuesday for showing the Morning Star flag, as Indonesian universities crack down on pro-independence displays.

Antara News reported the students in Jayapura were carrying bags on campus displaying the symbol.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A Polish citizen is currently in custody with police in Papua over his alleged attempt to film what the Indonesian Military (TNI) claims was a planned "ammunition trade" between two armed groups in the restive province.

A West Papua support group in New Zealand is calling on Pacific leaders to support Vanautu's push for the Indonesian region to be included on the UN's decolonisation list.

West Papua Action Auckland said leaders attending next week's Pacific Islands Forum summit in Nauru must back Vanuatu's draft resolution when it is raised by prime minister Charlot Salwai.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters says his country recognizes West Papua as a part of Indonesia.

He made this comment when asked about New Zealand's stand on the West Papua issue where Vanuatu is spearheading efforts in support of West Papua, during his recent visit to Port Vila.

Jakarta – The Mimika Police in Papua have arrested AY, a worker at gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia, for making a video that police have described as "hate speech against Indonesia" and distributing it on social media.

A congratulatory letter has been sent to Vanuatu Prime Minister, Charlot Salwai and to Vanuatu's special envoy on decolonisation for West Papua, Lora Lina.

West Papua Action Auckland
PO Box 68419
Auckland, New Zealand
25 August 2018

Dear Prime Minister/President,

On Saturday 25th August at 12:20, Polish tourist Jakob Fabian was arrested by the Indonesian military at the Napua military post in Wamena, West Papua.

Fiji's Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa has called on the government of Fiji to "stop its betrayal" of the people of West Papua.

She said the government should strongly support the inclusion of the territory in the United Nation's Decolonisation List at next year's UN General Assembly.

Jane Joshua – Since her appointment as the Special Envoy on Decolonization of West Papua to the Pacific Island States, Lora Lini spoke exclusively to the Daily Post about how she sees her role and the importance of the position entrusted upon her by the Vanuatu Government.

Indonesia is deploying 450 military personnel to Papua in a bid to crackdown on drug smuggling on the Papua New Guinea border.

Antara news agency reported the forces would travel to Merauke province on Sunday, before deploying across 16 border posts.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Dozens of Indonesian former workers of U.S.-based PT Freeport-McMoRan, parent company of PT Freeport Indonesia, staged a rally on Aug. 21 to seek legislators' intervention in their case.

They represented more than 8,000 contractors and workers who were laid off by the giant gold and copper company more than 14 months ago following a strike.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Cendrawasih Military Command (Kodam) in Papua beefed up security following an encounter between armed civilians and military personnel in Puncak Jaya regency, Papua, on Sunday which resulted in the deaths of two military personnel.

Jayapura (Antara) – Two officers of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) were killed by armed separatist group members in Tigginambut, Papua Province. The assailants equipped with guns and arrows.

Ivany Atina Arbi and Nethy Dharma Somba, Jakarta/Jayapura – The 73rd celebration of Indonesia's Independence Day was tinged with reports on actions from some Papuans outside and inside the provinces, which upset authorities over their perceived refusal to celebrate Indonesia's independence from the Dutch.

Vanuatu's government could be alone among regional administrations in its bid to have West Papua inscribed on the United Nations de-colonisation list.

The Charlot Salwai-led government plans to submit a draft resolution to the Pacific Islands Forum, calling for Indonesian-ruled Papua to be inscribed on the list at next year's UN General Assembly.

All 49 West Papuan university students taken in for police questioning in the Indonesian city of Surabaya have been released, according to a legal aid group.

The incident on Wednesday night came on the anniversary of the transfer of administration over West Papua to Indonesia.

Gorethy Kenneth – Papua New Guinea will not and does not support the issue of West Papua now being pushed by Vanuatu at the United Nations.

Bastian Tebai, Semarang – The Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) have called on all Papuan students through their city committees in Java and Bali to declare that the 1962 New York Agreement was illegal.

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – A peaceful action that was to be held by the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) in Ternate, North Maluku, was forcibly broken up by local police on August 15.

Bastian Tebai, Surabaya – As many as 49 Papuan students who reside at the Kamasan Papuan Dormitory in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya were arrested by police this evening and are being held at the Surabaya district police headquarters (Polrestabes).

There were two reasons for this according to information gathered by Suara Papua.

Vanuatu presented its draft UN Resolution for West Papua at the recent Pacific Islands Forum Officials Committee (FOC) Meeting and the Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting held at the Taumeasina Resort in Apia, Samoa from 7 to 10th August 2018.