[Earlier this year, New Matilda sent British journalist Michael Gillard into West Papua, one of the most dangerous regions on earth for reporters. Michael's goal was to hold to account a well known multinational operating beyond proper scrutiny in one of the world's poorest regions. This is what he found.]

Two more West Papua Liberation Army members have been killed in hostilities with Indonesia's military in the Highlands of Papua province.

The latest fighting on Saturday was in Lanny Jaya regency, where troops from Indonesia's military, or TNI, exchanged gunfire with the Liberation Army in rugged terrain.

Hengky Yeimo and Benny Mawel, Jayapura – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) just accomplished the Second Congress that held on 23-25 October 2018 in Kampung Vietnam, Waena.

The new elected KNPB Chairman Agus Kossay said as the national representation of West Papuans, KNPB continues to fight for the right of Papua's self-determination through a referendum.

Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman, Jakarta – The Energy and Mineral Resources extended on Thursday the temporary special mining permit (IUPK) of gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) as the previous permit issued one month ago expired on Oct. 31.

After electing a new leader, the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, has called for a general strike of all Papuan workers.

The pro-independence KNPB has just concluded its second congress in Jayapura, attended by hundreds of its representatives across Indonesian-ruled Papua region.

Police in Papua will deploy to a village where 15 people were reportedly taken hostage by the West Papua Liberation Army and later released.

Since the latter part of 2017, fighters with the West Papuan Liberation Army, or TPN, have intensified hostilities with Indonesia's military and police in Tembagapura and its surrounding region in Papua's Highlands.

Indonesia's leading human rights organisation says president Joko Widodo has failed to honour human rights commitments including in Papua.

In a report released on Friday, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, or Kontras, evaluated promises made by Mr Widodo.

Len Garae – "Let me assure the world that I can see the light at the end of the dark tunnel, that now the whole world knows more about West Papua than ever before so this is sure confidence for me which reflects the faith of the population of Vanuatu.

Bernadinus Steni and Daniel Nepstad – Large landscapes of intact tropical forests will figure prominently in global strategies to avert catastrophic climate change and conserve biodiversity.

The commander of the West Papua Liberation Army remains at large in the mountains of Puncak Jaya and is reportedly being pursued by Indonesia's military.

Human rights advocates in Papua province said seven people were killed last week by Indonesian security forces hunting down the commander, Goliat Tabuni, and his men.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – A human rights worker from the Kingmi Church reported seven people died in a gunfire between a joint Indonesian force of the Law Enforcement Task Force (Satgas Gakkum) with a group of Free Papua Liberation Army (TPN)/OPM) led by Goliat Tabuni in Puncak Jaya District, Papua on Monday morning (1/10/2018).

Godwin Ligo – The issue of West Papua, was raised by Vanuatu at the United Nations 72nd General Assembly with exchanges of the Right of Reply between Vanuatu and Indonesia.

Vanuatu Ambassador to the United Nations, Odo Tevi, made the following statement as Vanuatu exercised its Right of Reply to Indonesia on its recent statement.

Pacific Media Centre – Vanuatu says New Zealand should get on the right side of history and support West Papuan self-determination. However, reports James Halpin of Asia Pacific Journalism, Indonesian diplomacy with its Pacific allies Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea are defiantly undermining Pacific "solidarity" on the issue.

A West Papua human rights advocate is calling for solidarity from the New Zealand Government on issues affecting indigenous West Papuans.

Wensislaus Fatubun says, "West Papuans have been killed, arrested and tortured by the Indonesian authorities especially military and police. Now we're facing difficulties with the population of indigenous Papuans. Now we are a minority."

Reports from Indonesia's Papua province say seven West Papuans have been killed in a military operation in remote Puncak Jaya regency.

The remote Highlands area has been the focus of efforts by the Indonesian military, or TNI, to hunt down members of the West Papua Liberation Army.

The chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Benny Wenda, is being considered for the Freedom of Oxford award.

Mr Wenda and his family are based in the United Kingdom city where he was granted asylum in 2002 after fleeing Indonesian rule in West Papua

There's been condemnation from civil society of another series of mass arrests of West Papuans by Indonesian police.

Two organisations concerned with human rights, the UK-based TAPOL and US-based East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, say the arrests contradict claims by Indonesia at the United Nations.

Helen Davidson – Indonesia has accused Vanuatu of challenging "friendly relations" between the two countries and supporting separatist movements, after it offered support to West Papua at the United Nations.

Vanuatu has long been a supporter of the rights of West Papuans in their movement for independence from Indonesia.

Joint Statement to UN General Assembly 73

Three Pacific leaders have called out Indonesia at the UN for their human rights abuses in West Papua.

Vanuatu's prime minister Charlot Salwai, a long time supporter of West Papuan self-determination, told the General Assembly in New York that decolonisation must remain on the UN agenda.

Indonesia has lashed out at Vanuatu over its representations about West Papua at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In what has become an annual fixture, Pacific leaders have voiced concern about human rights in Indonesia's Papua region, known widely as West Papua.

Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman, Jakarta – The government has issued another temporary permit extension for gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) as the divestment process of shares from Freeport-McMoran (FCX) to state-owned mining holding company PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) is still incomplete.

Jakarta – After reaching a divestment deal on Thursday, gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) will now focus on a smelter construction plan, which is required for the company to obtain the special mining permit (IUPK) that is needed to operate the Grasberg gold and copper mine in Papua.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – Human rights and church activists have called for an investigation following the death last week of an indigenous Papuan who died in police custody.

Yudas Gebze, from the Malind tribal group died on Sept. 14, a day after he was arrested in Ilwahab, in Papua province's Merauke district for allegedly chopping off a man's right hand with a machete.

Papuan Voices, a video advocacy organization, has organized two independent film festivals since 2017 to celebrate the lives and struggles of indigenous Papuans in the southeastern province of Indonesia.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Students from several tertiary institutions in the Papuan provincial capital of Jayapura have been holding actions to support efforts by Vanuatu and other Pacific countries to take the Papuan issue before the 72rd Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in late September.

Stephen Wright, Jakarta – To the Indonesian government, the 39-year-old factory worker and globe-trotting Polish traveler is a danger to the state, a man who plotted with shadowy gunmen to foment revolt in isolated eastern jungles.

[A message from the desk of Benny Wenda.]

On the 21st September in 1962 the UNGA debated the New York Agreement and voted to pass a Dutch-Indonesia resolution on it by 89 votes to none. There were 14 abstentions.

56 years later the West Papuan people still suffer under Indonesian rule. How have the West Papuan people fared since the Indonesian take over?

Pacific Media Centre – West Papua has been sidestepped by both the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the Pacific Islands Forum. But, reports James Halpin of Asia Pacific Journalism, Vanuatu is undeterred as leading champion for the West Papuan cause and is pressing for United Nations support.

A lack of vaccination in West Papuan communities has been linked to failures by Indonesia's health workers.

Recent Indonesian media reports say Papuan parents in regions such as Tolikara are refusing to let their children be immunised, fearing that measles-rubella and polio vaccinations will cause disabilities or illnesses.

Victor Mambor and Tria Dianti Jayapura – A Polish national who was arrested last month on suspicion of helping separatist rebels in Indonesia's Papua province has denied that he took part in a conspiracy to overthrow the government, his attorney said Wednesday, as police extended his detention for 40 days for further investigation.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Papua Police have denied allegations that they are responsible for the death of a Papuan fugitive who died shortly after his arrest.

Yudas Gebze, a resident of Wanam village in Merauke, had been charged with attacking Egenius Blamo Gebze on May 10 and had been on the run for three months before his arrest last Thursday.

Vanuatu has raised the issue of a West Papuan and a Polish citizen charged with treason in Indonesia at the United Nations.

In connection with Jakub Skrzypski's case, a 29-year old West Papuan student, Simon Magal, was arrested several days later in Timika.

Jakarta – The Karubaga community health center in Tolikara regency, Papua, has said many parents in the region have opposed the administration of measles-rubella (MR) and polio vaccinations for their children over fears the vaccines will cause disabilities or other illnesses.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – The current president of Indonesia Joko Widodo is considered to be no different from Prabowo in Human Rights violations in Papua.

Jakarta (Antara) – Joint officers from the Police and Indonesian Army (TNI) arrested eight people and seized hundreds of ammunition, a homemade firearm, and a number of documents at a residence in Mimika, Papua, on Saturday.

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.

The West Papua National Committee has urged New Caledonia's indigenous Melanesians to vote for independence during the upcoming referendum.

In November, New Caledonia is to hold a referendum on possible independence from France.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.