Leading West Papuan human rights activist Ferry Marisan has died in Jayapura.
Mr Marisan is well known for his work over two decades with the Advocacy of Human Rights Institution, ELSHAM Papua.
He played a prominent role in raising awareness about Papuan rights, including in relation to exploitation of Papua's mineral resources.
Taylor McDonald – The looming 50th anniversary of a so-called referendum that condemned the two Papuan provinces to exploitation by Indonesia has coincided with a rising tide of militant activity that will bring international attention to the increasingly unstable corner of the archipelago.
On Saturday, dozens of activists from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) who were holding a rally to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Biak massacre in Denpasar clashed with local organizations and pecalang(traditional Balinese security forces) during their demonstration, with some of them physically assaulted.
It's 21 years since a massacre on Biak Island in West Papua and an activist says there's yet to be any action taken against the perpetrators.
On the 6 July 1998 scores of Papuans, who had been holding a rally over the preceding week, were killed by members of the Indonesian armed forces. The protestors had been flying the banned Papuan Morning Star flag.
Denpasar – A commemoration of 21 years since the "Bloody Biak Tragedy" in West Papua by the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Saturday July 6 has ended in chaos.
Michael Andrew – West Papuan human rights defender Rosa Moiwend was in New Zealand this week, speaking about the need for more countries to challenge Indonesia on its human rights abuses in her homeland.
A demonstration by Papuan students in Bali commemorating 21 years since the "Bloody Biak Incident" was forcibly broken up by Tanjung Bungkak Village Balinese traditional security guards and police on Saturday July 6.
Ahmad Rafiq, ABC, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto called the formation of the West Papua Army was a separatist activity. In response to the issue, he said, his institution would carry out the law enforcement operation.
"We will carry out law enforcement operation or gakum there," he said in Boyolali, Thursday, July 4.
The 6 July marks 21 years since the Biak Massacre when the Indonesian security forces massacred scores of people in Biak, West Papua.
The victims, included women and children who had gathered for a peaceful rally. They were killed at the base of a water tower flying the Morning Star flag
Febriana Firdaus & Kate Mayberry, Jakarta, Indonesia – The three main armed separatist groups in West Papua have joined forces to step up their push for independence as clashes between the rebels and the Indonesian military has forced thousands of civilians from their homes.
Jakarta (Antara) – The Papua Police will fire the officer who allegedly shot a civilian at the Ilwayab District of Merauke Regency.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Rudolf A. Rodja said that the officer, Brig. RK, would be discharged with dishonor, as instructed by National chief of police Gen. Tito Karnavian.
A Polish man imprisoned in Indonesia's Papua province for treason says his government has been of little help to him.
Jakub Skrzypski was in May jailed for five years after an Indonesian court said he had plotting to sell arms to the West Papua Liberation Army.
The plight of West Papuans as Melanesian citizens is an important issue that Vanuatu must continue to support.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trade, Ralph Regenvanu, made this clear in his keynote address yesterday to all Vanuatu's Heads of Missions (HOM) who are currently in the capital for the 3-day 8th HOM meeting.
Papua, Jubi – About 250 West Papuans have been served notices of eviction to leave their settlement in Port Moresby, reports The National.
National Capital District Commission officials, escorted by police officers, handed the settlers demolition orders last Thursday and told them to leave their home in the suburb of Rainbow where they had lived for 11 years.
Jordan Fennell and Tracey Shelton – Three armed separatist groups in the Indonesian region of West Papua have announced they have united to form the West Papuan Army, as activists lobbying for independence declare they are now ready to "take over our country".
Mackenzie Smith – The main organisation advancing West Papuan independence aims abroad has committed to ending the use of child soldiers by armed rebels fighting under its flag.
This comes after revelations boys as young as 15 are fighting in an escalating conflict with Indonesian forces in Papua's Central Highlands.Child soldiers in West Papua
Philip Cass – West Papuan human rights activist Rosa Moiwend has asked Tonga to continue its support or her people's struggle for independence.
She told Kaniva news it was important to support Vanuatu's effort to prepare a resolution to have West Papua placed on the agenda of the United Nations Decolonisation Committee.
Helen Davidson – A leading West Papuan independence organisation claims to have unified three rebel armies under its control, led by exiled leader Benny Wenda, who says they are now "ready to take over our country".
However one alleged party – the long-running domestic separatist group, OPM, – has rejected the announcement as "lies and fabrication".
The three main West Papuan military factions announced their unification today, following a historic declaration signed under the auspices of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).
Mackenzie Smith and Johnny Blades – Indonesia will use a landmark business and trade exposition next week in New Zealand to launch a fresh diplomatic push in the Pacific, as the Southeast Asian nation continues to face regional scrutiny over alleged human rights abuses in West Papua.
Hipolitus Yolisandry Ringgi Wangge – Just like any 12-year-old boy, Daniel appeared happy and carefree as he played soccer with his friends in the churchyard of Kingmi Weneroma.
Veni Mahuze, Jayapura – After the death of co-founder Father Neles Tebay in April, the Papuan Peace Network (PPN) sought a replacement who would also be passionately committed to facilitating dialogue in Indonesia's troubled West Papua Province.
A month later, human rights' activists, religious leaders, academics, lawyers and others involved in the network held a meeting
Armed rebel groups in Indonesia's West Papua have reportedly united to form a new army under a single command.
A release from the office of the chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Benny Wenda, says it's the first time the three major factions have come under a single arm.
Sheith Khidhir – Last Tuesday, an Indonesian military spokesman was reported as saying that any use of child soldiers by Papuan independence fighters would be a violation of human rights. The spokesman said this violation would implicate both, the rebels as well as state institutions.
Gemma Holliani Cahya, Jakarta – Silas Papare Air Force base in Sentani, Jayapura, has reported that an Mi-17 helicopter belonging to the Indonesian Army lost contact after departing from Oksibil airport in Pegunungan Bintang regency, Papua, on Friday afternoon.
A West Papuan human rights defender has called for more Pacific islands countries to speak up internationally about human rights abuses in her homeland.
Rosa Moiwend, who has been visiting New Zealand this week, said it was important that Pacific Islands Forum countries advanced this issue to reflect widespread, grassroots concern for West Papua in the region.
Jakarta – A 6.0-magnitude earthquake in Central Mamberamo regency in Papua was followed by at least 30 aftershocks within six hours after the main shock at 8:05 a.m. Jakarta time on Monday or 10:05 a.m. local time, a government agency has reported.
Doused in black warpaint, draped in ammunition and clutching guns almost as big as some of them, the boys stare with hardened gazes into the camera.
The photo, taken somewhere in Papua's remote hills, is like countless others released by the West Papua Liberation Army, a rebel group waging war on the Indonesian military and proclaiming independence from the state.
Benny Mawel, Jayapura, Jubi – Any forms of violence and human rights violations that continually occurred as well as the failure of the State to fulfil the economic, social and cultural rights of indigenous have long been a root of self-determination among Papuans, stated Nicolaus Degey, a member of Religious Working Group of Papua's People Assembly, in Jayapura on Monday (17/6/201
Jakarta, Indonesia – The long-simmering armed conflict between Indonesia's military and Papuans seeking independence includes indigenous teenagers and boys who appear barely adolescent, The Associated Press has found, highlighting how Indonesia's heavy-handed attempts to extinguish the movement have produced a new generation of fighters.
Fiji's diplomatic relations with Indonesia have come under intense scrutiny in Parliament this week over human rights abuses in West Papua.
Opposition MP, Anare Jale, accused the Bainimarama government of turning its back on innocent West Papuans.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has come under attack for "neglecting the cries of its people, particularly in West Papua".
Fiji Opposition MP, Anare Jale, told Parliament's Budget debate this week the government's allocation of $FJ1.12 million to the regional group should be reduced by $120,000.
New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, says he will raise concerns over human rights abuses in West Papua with his Indonesian counterpart.
Mr Peters was responding to a question from Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman in a select committee hearing today.
The United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) has officially submitted its application for full membership of the regional Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) with the formal handing-over of the application to the MSG Secretariat in Port Vila, Vanuatu on Wednesday 19th June.
Johnny Blades – The United Liberation Movement of West Papua has officially submitted an application for full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
The Liberation Movement already has observer status in the regional group whose full members are Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia's Kanaks.
Sophie Chao – In West Papua, Indonesia, both conventional and "green" palm oil projects dispossess and exclude Indigenous people from their lands.
In May 2016, Petrus, a 3-year-old Marind boy from West Papua, Indonesia, died of dysentery after drinking river water contaminated with pesticides from a nearby oil palm plantation.
Police in Indonesia's Papua province are investigating the killing of a local resident by a drunk police officer.
The Jakarta Post reports the incident took place last Tuesday in the south-eastern regency of Merauke.
Rights activists say the resident, Yohanes Octo Moiwent, had a confrontation with an officer which ended with the officer shooting him twice.
Vanuatu's Foreign Minister Ralph Reganvanu says the Pacific Islands' Forum needs to be stronger in its stance regarding West Papua.
Vanuatu is a strong proponent of West Papuan self-determination from Indonesia and has taken the battle for decolonisation to the global stage.
Febriana Firdaus, Wamena, Indonesia – Under the pine trees, a nine-year-old girl is sitting on a blue tarpaulin, rubbing her feet.
For the past six months, she's been living in a church-run shelter after escaping the chaos that enveloped her village in Nduga, a remote highland region in the western part of the island of Papua.
The Military, Police and the National Commission on Human Rights are investigating the deaths of four people in a shooting during election related violence in Papua.This week it was reported that Indonesian soldiers shot and killed four people in Asmat regency after supporters of a losing candidate attacked the area of a rival.
Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – The Papua Military Command, the National Police and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) have launched an investigation into the deaths of four in an alleged shooting by military personnel during an election dispute-turned-riot in Asmat regency, Papua.
Indonesian soldiers shot and killed four people in Papua province during a riot reportedly linked to the recent national elections.
Robert Isidorus, Jakarta – Four people were killed and one wounded when a soldier opened fire on a mob of angry supporters of a regional legislative council candidate, who failed to win a seat in the recent election, stormed the Asmat district office in Papua on Monday.
Jakarta – Thousands of have signed the petition #TurunkanTiketPapua on change.org to urge Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi to regulate airfares to and from Papua.
As of 9:49 a.m. on Wednesday, 114, 238 people had signed the petition posted by Paul Hendri Eria, who said many people in Papua had complained about domestic airfares because they were not affordable.
Jakarta – Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel have shot dead four people after supporters of a local legislative candidate stormed the Fayit district office in Asmat regency, Papua.
Dion Bisara, Jakarta – Freeport Indonesia, the country's largest gold and copper mining company, will start discussions after Idul Fitri next month with 15 local and foreign banks interested in financing its $2.8 billion unprofitable smelter project, senior executives said.
Benny Mawel, Jayapura – A resident of Wagete of Deiyai Regency, Papua Province was reportedly shot dead by the police on Tuesday evening, while another resident was seriously injured (21/5/19). This incident triggered the outraged people to burn down the local police station (Tigi sector) in Deiyai.
Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Angry residents in Wagethe in Deiyai regency, Papua, set fire to Tigi Police station on Tuesday, following the shooting of a young man by the police on the same day.
Dan McGarry, Port Vila – During his visit to Port Vila last weekend, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was confronted with questions about West Papua – but he waffled in his responses.
At least one Indonesian soldier has reportedly been killed by West Papuan rebels during a prolonged shootout on Monday.
Military spokesperson Colonel Mohammed Aidi said the incident took place in Mugi district, in the conflict-prone Nduga regency.