Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura, Papua – Members of the Indonesian Military's (TNI) Cendrawasih Military Command XVII are hunting down an armed group of civilians in Tembagapura, Mimika regency, Papua, following an attack that claimed a soldier's life.

Tony Firman – Calls for West Papuan self-determination were prominent during a demonstration in front of the offices of PT Freeport Indonesia in the Kuningan area of South Jakarta on Thursday March 29.

Many Papuans face severe racism and discrimination throughout the rest of Indonesia, especially Papuan students in other parts of the country who often have to face completely unfounded suspicions of radicalism – so much so that they can't even have a simple movie night without attracting the attention of the police.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura, Papua – Thousands of voters in Papua have yet to have their identities registered under the electronic identification (e-ID), which could strip them of their voting rights in the upcoming elections.

Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister has downplayed signs of tensions in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Leaders from MSG members states Solomon Islands and Fiji have been engaged in a war of words this month over Indonesia's involvement in the group.

Nur Hadi, Surabaya – Scores of police were deployed to secure a discussion and screening of the film "The First Grader" organised by the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) in Surabaya.

The event was held at the Papuan Kamasan III Dormitory on Jl. Kalasan in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on the evening of Tuesday March 27.

An environmental NGO has accused a major palm oil company in Indonesia's Papua province of failing to honour the spirit of a moratorium on new forest clearing.

Korindo, a South Korean-Indonesian joint venture, implemented a moratorium on forest clearing last year in its oil palm concessions, after international pressure applied to it over burning rainforests in Papua.

Jakarta (Antara) – Papua Police Chief Ins.Gen. Boy Rafli said there are still armed gangs of criminals seeking to create trouble for US mining company PT Freeport Indonesia.

Freeport, which has large copper and gold mine in Tembagapura, Papua, is still facing threat to security in mining operation, Boy said on Monday.

Andreas Harsono – There are multiple accounts of how Rico Ayomi, a 17-year-old student, died in Sorong, in Indonesia's West Papua province, after 24 hours in police detention.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – The height of a minaret at a Muslim mosque in Indonesia's predominantly Christian Papuaprovince has Protestants and Catholics hot under the collar as they claim it is being built to deliberately overshadow nearby churches.

Indonesia's place in the Melanesian Spearhead Group has come under scrutiny from regional leaders and experts after allegations were made by Solomon Islands' deputy prime minister Manasseh Sogavare earlier this month that Fiji pressured other countries to accept Jakarta's bid to join the sub-regional group.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Indigenous communities from Airu Hulu village in Jayapura regency, Papua, have accused Greenpeace of "interfering" with the management of customary forests in the region and scaring off investor.

Airu youth figure Soleman Waibara said the locals had been facing difficulties in developing their forestry and farming business potential.

Colin Peacock, RNZ Mediawatch – While a former US President's visit preoccupied the New Zealand media this week, the state visit of the current president of Indonesia went mostly under the radar. You'll look in vain for reports about what was discussed at top-level talks about important issues.

Fiji's Opposition Social Democratic Liberal Party said it is deeply disturbed about allegations that the Fiji First Government acted forcibly to have Indonesia admitted as an associate member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Victor Mambor Jayapura – High school student Riko Ayomi was already dying when police brought him home in Sorong, a city on the western tip of West Papua province, an eyewitness said.

Indonesia says it is not in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to undermine a push for self-determination in its Papua region.

A war of words between Fiji and Solomon Islands has broken out over Indonesia's admission, as an associate member, to the sub-regional group in 2015.

Jakarta – The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) has said that ecological damage resulting from PT Freeport Indonesia's (PTFI) mining operations in Papua had caused Rp 185 trillion (US$12.95 billion) in state losses.

Niniek Karmini and Stephen Wright, Jakarta, Indonesia – A spokesman for the family of an indigenous Papuan teenager who died after 24 hours in Indonesian police custody said that the 17-year-old had multiple bruises and injuries on his body and that it doesn't accept the police explanation he was killed by alcohol poisoning.

Indonesia's president was greeted by protestors calling for West Papuan independence when he arrived at New Zealand's parliament this afternoon.

But the protestors were vying for airspace with a group of Indonesians who were there to cheer Joko Widodo in his flying visit. It turned into a sing-off on the steps of New Zealand's parliament.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Jayapura Police said Monday that security in the regency and in Papua in general was under control after the Jayapura Churches Association protested via letter the height of the Al-Aqsa Mosque minaret in Sentani, Jayapura regency.

A Solomon Islands academic says the leaders of Melanesian Spearhead Group member states made a mistake in granting Indonesia associate member status in the group.

The five full members of the MSG are Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the FLNKS Kanaks Movement of New Caledonia.

West Papua Action Auckland has urged the Prime Minister to raise human rights and the suffering of the people of Indonesian ruled West Papua when she meets with President Widodo on Monday. Our Melanesian neighbours in West Papua are suffering grievously and must not be overlooked for the sake of 'good relations' or markets for our goods.

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit is taking place in Sydney on the 17-18 March. According to reports Australia will press its Southeast Asian neighbours about serious human rights concerns at the summit.

A member of the pro-independence West Papua National Committee has been given a ten-month jail sentence for treason by an Indonesian court.

Yanto Awerkion was arrested last May in Timika because of his involvement with a petition calling for West Papuan independence from Indonesia.

Giacomo Tognini – The next two years could prove to be transformative for Melanesia, a region of Pacific islands spanning from Papua in the west to Fiji in the east. Two votes on independence, scheduled in 2018 and 2019, could bring two new nations into the fold and shake up the politics of a region where decolonization is still a pressing matter.

Indonesia's government collected US$756 million in revenue from the Freeport gold and copper mine in Papua province last year.

The Jakarta Post reported that this was confirmed in an Indonesian House of Representatives hearing by the vice president of Freeport's Indonesian arm, Tony Wenas.

Fiji has hit back at the deputy prime minister of Solomon Islands over criticism about the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Speaking in the Solomons parliament yesterday, Manasseh Sogavare said Fiji should apologise for bringing Indonesia into the MSG.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jakarta – Papua gubernatorial candidates have promised to prioritize programs to improve the livelihood of Papuan people.

A human rights activist has expressed frustration at omissions from reports by New Zealand diplomats about their visits to Indonesia's Papua region.

Maire Leadbeater has made a series of Official Information Act requests for reports about trips to Papua by New Zealand's Ambassador to Indonesia, Trevor Matheson and colleagues.

Dan McGarry – In a brief message yesterday, Vanuatu Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu responded to an Indonesian spokesman's claims by Indonesia's First Secretary for Political Affairs in Australia that West Papua's 'game is up'.

The West Papua National Liberation Army's central command in the Papuan Highlands has made a fresh declaration of war against Indonesian military.

Jakarta must regain authority over Papua, demands PFF, the Pacific Freedom Forum, after the latest action by "rogue" security forces.

"Free speech should not suffer because of cookies," says PFF Chair Monica Miller, referring to removal of a BBC journalist from West Papua earlier this month.

Jakarta – The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has extended the export recommendation for gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia amid sluggish progress in the negotiation of the divestment of 51 percent of the company's shares to Indonesian entities.

Indonesia's government has been helping fund the Melanesian Spearhead Group's secretariat. The secretariat, based in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, has experienced funding limitations in recent years.

The five full members – Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia's FLNKS Kanaks Movement – are meant to pay annual contributions.

Rangga Prakoso, Jakarta – The Indonesian government still has not issued a new copper concentrate export permit for Freeport Indonesia – the largest gold and copper miner in the country, putting the company's next overseas shipment in a lot of doubt.

Meriba Tulo, Port Moresby – West Papua's application to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group has gained traction, with MSG leaders referring the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) request to the MSG Secretariat for deliberation.

Leaders of Melanesian Spearhead Group countries have referred a West Papuan application for full membership in the group to its secretariat for processing.

Indonesia says the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's bid to be a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead group has reached a dead end.

MSG leaders meeting in Port Moresby this week referred the Movement's application to the group's secretariat for processing under new membership guidelines.

Indonesia has warned Melanesian Spearhead Group member states against meddling in other countries' affairs.

The warning was delivered by the Indonesian Foreign Ministry's Director General of Asia-Pacific and African Affairs, Desra Percaya, at this week's MSG leaders summit.

Len Garae – The four West Papuan official representatives of United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) led by Chairman Benny Wenda, have been provided with historic VIP welcome by the Melanesian Spearhead Group host, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, Peter O'Neil on arrival at Port Moresby last weekend.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Zely Ariane, an editor at the Tabloid Jubi newspaper in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua, gets frustrated each time an acquaintance travels there and asks to meet up on short notice. None of them, it seems, realizes just how vast the region is.

The West Papua National Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting of an Indonesian soldier in Papua province yesterday.

The shooting took place at a market in Sinak in Papua's Puncak Jaya regency.

A measles and malnutrition crisis has killed at least 72 people, mostly children, in Indonesia's remote province of Papua, home to the world's biggest gold mine.

As Rebecca Henschke and Hedyer Affan report, the crisis has put the spotlight on a region closed off to journalists for decades and revealed serious government failings.

Damien Kingsbury, Jakarta, Jubi/Crikey – West Papua has shown once again that freedom of speech is only for those who follow the rules.

Jakarta – Armed separatists shot dead an Indonesian soldier on Monday during a gunfight at a market place in the remote easternmost province of Papua, a military spokesman said.

The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner says his office has been invited by Indonesia's government to visit Papua region, or West Papua.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein yesterday concluded a three day-visit to Indonesia where he had discussions with President Joko Widodo and top officials, human rights institutions as well as religious leaders.

Krithika Varagur, Jakarta – Twin crises of measles and malnutrition have recently afflicted Indonesia's easternmost province, Papua, inciting foreign and media scrutiny as well as internal review from the Indonesian government.

Authorities in Indonesia have issued four new palm oil permits in its Papua provinces despite a moratorium on palm oil expansion declared by president Joko Widodo in 2016.

Tabloid Jubi reported the permits cover a combined area larger than 400 square kilometres. It said major parts of these areas were still covered in pristine rainforests.

Sheany, Jakarta – The United Nations high commissioner for human rights said on Wednesday (07/02) that he will send a mission to Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, following reports of abuses against its indigenous population.

Indonesia's government representatives say the deadly measles outbreak in Papua province has been brought under control.

The outbreak killed scores of children in remote Asmat district of Papua province in parallel with soraing malnutrition.