Jakarta – Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the demand for a referendum as voiced by a group of Papuan people recently was supported by few members of the region's community.

Jakarta – The Indonesian army said here on Thursday that it had launched no military action in reaction to recent attacks and ambushes by alleged separatist OPM members.

[The following essay by Surya Anta was written in response to a series of questions, I emailed him yesterday, August 4, 2011. - Max Lane]

'I am here to give solidarity, not as a provocateur'

Mariel Grazella, Jakarta – The chairman of the Papua and Aceh special autonomy supervisory team, Priyo Budi Santoso, urged the government to send the military to Papua if the referendum movement escalated to a mass rebellion.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The Papua Police said on Wednesday that the killing of four people in Nafri on Monday was simply a criminal act and had nothing to do with the separatist group the Free Papua Organization (OPM).

That assessment contradicted the Jayapura Police's statement that the OPM could be behind the attack.

Surya Anta, a leading member of People's Liberation Party (formerly KPRM-PRD), was arrested by the Metro Jaya regional police in Jakarta at 12noon on August 1.

Jakarta – Indonesia needs to boost economic development in Papua, human rights activists say, a day after thousands in the restive region rallied for independence.

"There's growing discontent among Papuans. The government needs to act fast to address various humanitarian issues," Haris Azhar, coordinator of the human rights group Kontras, told IRIN on 3 August.

Jakarta – The People's Liberation Party (Partai Pembebesan Rakyat, PPR) has slammed the arrest of comrade Suryanta Ginting (a PPR member) by the Metro Jaya Regional Police when he was giving a solidarity speech during an action by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in front of the State Palace on Tuesday August 2.

Manokwari – Residents of Manokwari, West Papua, held a protest on Tuesday August 2 by marching through the city's major streets.

Manokwari – Thousands of Papuan civilians in Manokwari, West Papua, took to the streets on Tuesday August 2 to demand a referendum. The participants at the action are convinced that a referendum is the middle road to resolve the political status of West Papua.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura/Jakarta – Thousands of people in Papua staged coordinated rallies Tuesday in a show of support for the conference of International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP) in London to pursue a referendum for independence.

Around 10,000 Papuans have been demonstrating in support of independence from Indonesia. Witnesses say protesters defied a heavy police presence a day after an ambush police blamed on separatist rebels.

Banjir Ambarita & Camelia Pasandaran, Jayapura – Government officials confirmed on Monday that the recent deadly brawls plaguing the newly established district of Puncak Papua were closely linked to local politics.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government said it was not worried about demonstrations held in London on Tuesday demanding Papuan independence.

The gathering, known as the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP) conference, was held at Oxford University in London and demanded the independence of West Papua.

Nivell Rayda & Banjir Ambarita – Papua was wracked with tension on Monday after an early-morning ambush by suspected separatists in Abepura district left four people dead, including an army officer.

The attack followed weekend clashes between supporters of two local politicians in Puncak Papua district that left 17 dead.

Jerry Omona, Jayapura, Indonesia – A rebel commander in the Indonesian province of Papua on Tuesday denied involvement in an ambush that killed four people, as tensions rose ahead of a pro-independence rally.

Jakarta – Seventeen people were killed and dozens injured when the supporters of rival candidates in a local regent election clashed throughout Saturday and Sunday in Ilaga district in Puncak Jaya regency, Papua.

Jayapura, Papua – Unidentified gunmen early on Monday morning stabbed and shot dead three civilians and a Defense Forces (TNI) official near Nafri village in Jayapura, Papua.

Reliable sources said that besides the four fatalities, seven others were wounded in the shooting and stabbing incident which occurred at 3.15 am East Indonesia Standard Time (WIT).

Jewel Samad – Suspected separatist rebels killed four people including an army officer in Indonesia's restive Papua province on Monday, the first such attack in almost four months, police said.

The unidentified attackers blocked a road near the provincial capital Jayapura, opened fire on passing vehicles and then attacked the shocked passengers with machetes, police said.

Jayapura – Syamsul Arief Rivai has been installed as Papua's caretaker governor amid legal uncertainties about the next election.

Alex Rayfield – In an extraordinary media statement dated Monday 18 July the chief of the Army in Indonesian occupied West Papua, Major-General Erfi Triassunu, issued a very public apology to the leadership and congregation of the Kingmi Papua Church.

Who will speak Iniai in 2050? Or Faiwol? Moskona? Wahgi? Probably no one, as the languages of New Guinea – the world's greatest linguistic reservoir – are disappearing in a tide of indifference.

Yoseph Wally, an anthropologist at Cendrawasih University in Jayapura, Papua, keeps his ears open when he visits villages to hear what language the locals are speaking.

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – A military tribunal in Papua indicted three low-ranking soldiers on Wednesday for the killing of a civilian in Puncak Jaya district last year.

Banjir Ambarita – An Indonesian soldier was killed in an ambush at Puncak Jaya district in Papua on Thursday.

The incident took place when a group of armed men ambushed a military security squad patrolling Angin village at 9.30 a.m. One of the soldiers, First Private Lukas Yahya Kafiar, was shot in the head and died instantly.

The Honorable Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State
Department of State
Washington, D.C.

July 20, 2011

Secretary Clinton,

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says the government needs to evaluate its military operations in Papua, as more soldiers and civilians are injured by gunfire.

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088

The Hon Kevin Rudd MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra
ACT 2600

19 July 2011

Dear Mr Rudd

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – The military denied allegations that a woman and three children were shot and wounded during operations to combat suspected separatists in Papua's Puncak Jaya district.

Jayapura – Five soldiers were wounded in a gunfight with a group of armed people in Puncak Jaya, Papua, on Tuesday.

The five, who were evacuated to Jayapura, were identified as Jefry Satria, Nahor Awate, Heiberd Rivo Sipir, Sitorus and Manuel. Most of them were shot on the arms.

Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) has named him the 2011 recipient of the John Rumbiak Human Rights Defenders Award. Faleomavaega was presented the award on Thursday July 7, 2011.

In honoring Faleomavaega, WPAT stated:

Striking workers at Freeport-McMoran's gold and copper mine in Indonesia's Papua province have returned to work after their union said the firm agreed to its demands in the latest round of talks.

In recent weeks, highly regarded West Papuan non-governmental and religious organizations which promote respect for human rights have spoken out forcefully regarding the deteriorating human rights situation in the territory.

Organizations based in more than a dozen countries today issued a statement of support for West Papuan organizations appealing for justice and human rights.

Alfian Kartono, Timika, Indonesia – A few clicks on the keyboard of his computer was enough to get Simon Windesi and his friends riled up about the low wages their employer, a global mining giant, pays in this far-flung Indonesian province.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-121-2011

Dear friends,

Lauren Zumbach – A major military operation has been launched in West Papua following the ambush of an Indonesian military patrol last week, reports said on Tuesday.

Declaration on peace In Papua

With thanks to Almighty God,

Banjir Ambarita – Raja Ampat Police on Monday denied reports that legal advocate Johnson Panjaitan has been held hostage as a result of a dispute between two mining companies in West Papua.

There's been another call by West Papuans for dialogue with Indonesia's government towards making the Papua region peaceful.

An official presence by Jakarta at a conference in Papua discussing peaceful solutions to the long simmering conflict in the region has been described as positive.

The over 500 participants at the Papua Land of Peace Conference at Jayapura's Cenderawasih University included religious, customary and resistance leaders from throughout Papua.

Banjir Ambarita – A strike that has crippled Freeport Indonesia's copper and gold mine in Papua is expected to continue well into its second week after talks between management and workers collapsed, union representatives said on Sunday.

Nick Chesterfied – Confirmed reports emerged on Sunday from Puncak Jaya, West Papua, that over 600 Indonesian Army (TNI) troops have been conducting daily full combat operations since July 4 in and around villages in the Tingginambut area. Troops have reportedly attacked a series of villages said to be the refuge of the West Papuan Guerrilla leader Goliat Tabuni.

Jayapura – Protesting employees and PT Freeport Indonesia management failed to reach a compromise over the strikes which had entered the fifth day, obstructing the company's mining operations.

Jakarta – A widely publicized conference aimed at seeking peace in Papua concluded on Thursday that the best way to seek long-term resolutions to problems faced by Papuans – ranging from human rights abuses to exploitation of natural resources – was to engage in an open dialog with central government officials in Jakarta.

Alex Rayfield – From the outside looking in, the latest church conflict in West Papua might look like just another example of factional Protestant politics. A little sordid perhaps, but irrelevant to all but the parties involved. Dig a little deeper, however, and one finds something far more disturbing.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Thousands of PT Freeport Indonesia workers, engaged in a work stoppage for a second day, occupied a checkpoint in Kuala Kencana.

Jayapura, West Papua – Three Indonesian soldiers were shot during a clash with unknown attackers in Kalome village, Tingginambut district, on Tuesday evening.

State news agency Antara reported that the attack occurred as a group of Indonesian Military (TNI) officers patrolled the village.

At a press conference in Jayapura, a coalition of human NGOs and Komnas HAM called for the Peace Conference now underway in Jayapura to include Freeport in its recommendations.

Jakarta – Thousands of workers of PT Freeport Indonesia, the local unit of US giant mining corporation Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc., claim that the strike they began on Monday is limiting the company's production by 90 percent.

Jayapura – Some 300 indigenous Papuans from all regions in Papua and West Papua provinces are expected to join a peace conference from July 5-7 in Jayapura to seek solutions to conflicts in the region.