The country's easternmost territory has been a bane of security and development for a long time. With Timor Leste separated from the republic and Aceh peacefully consolidating itself, Papua remains an enigma despite the numerous political initiatives taken at various levels.

Camelia Pasandaran – A controversial nationalist organization got its way on Monday when the Constitutional Court approved part of its judicial review request on the number of legislators allowed in the Papua Legislative Council.

In the Netherlands, Papuan activist VIktor Kaisiepo has died in his home town of Amersfoort at the age of 61.

Markus Makur and Angela Flassy, Timika/Jayapura – The authorities have increased security measures at mining firm PT Freeport Indonesia by slipping a police officer into each of the buses transporting company employees between work and home.

Markus Makur, Timika – Around 1,500 Papuans in Mimika staged a rally Wednesday to support the registration of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua and the International Lawyers for West Papua at the European Union in Brussels the same day.

Cunding Levi, Jayapura – Linked to terror acts that often happen around the mining area of PT Freeport Indonesia in Tembagapura, Mimika Regency, the Papua Traditional Council and the Papua Presidium Board have called for the withdrawal of members of the Indonesian military (TNI) and the police assigned to secure the mining area.

Indonesian police are hunting for the gunmen responsible for a shooting near the Freeport mine in Indonesia's majority-Melanesian Papua province. Nine people were injured in the attack – the latest in a series of violent incidents near the mine.

Nethy Dharma Somba and Markus Makur, Jayapura/Timika – The latest attack against mining firm PT Freeport Indonesia in Papua, weeks after the shooting death of separatist leader Kelly Kwalik, has left the authorities without the usual suspects to pin the blame on, local figures say.

Farouk Arnaz & Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The Free Papua Movement on Tuesday rejected an accusation by the National Police that it was behind Sunday's ambush in which nine people were injured traveling in a convoy of miner PT Freeport McMoran.

Baseless accusations have always been directed towards the OPM/TPN when any killings or shootings happened around the mining area. The recent shooting on Mile 60 on 24th January 2010 was not exceptional case.

Farouk Arnaz – Police in Papua have found shell casings during investigations of Sunday's ambush in which nine people traveling in a convoy of US miner PT Freeport McMoran were injured.

Farouk Arnaz – Police claims that the killing of Papuan rebel leader Kelly Kwalik last month would improve security in the province's Timika area were dashed early on Sunday when nine people traveling in a convoy of US miner Freeport McMoran were injured in an ambush.

Sukmawati, Jakarta – The Peace Institute's Board chairman, Ichsan Melik, said that in the next 10 years Indonesia will become susceptible to separatism. The area mostly at risk is Papua.

A Papua analyst says increasing militarisation of Indonesia's Mimika district and recent actions by police are incendiary for local Papuans aggrieved by the killing of separatist leader Kelly Kwalik.

The senior Free Papua Movement leader was shot dead by police in a raid in Timika town last month, prompting anger among many Papuans, especially the local Amungme tribe.

Irawaty Wardany and Novan Iman Santosa, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights has questioned officials from gold and copper mining firm PT Freeport Indonesia over the company's local CSR funding.

Markus Makur, Timika – Two rival groups engaged in a tribal war over the past two weeks in Kwamki Lama village in Mimika regency, Papua, held a traditional peace ceremony on Wednesday marked by the breaking of bows and arrows.

Markus Makur, Timika – A junior high school student was killed by arrow shots in the wake of a tribal conflict between two rival groups in Timika, Papua, residents said Tuesday.

The death of Isodorus Edoway, 13, increased the toll from the series of clashes in Kwamki Lama village, Timika, to three people.

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – The Human Rights Commission considers the government ignored upholding human rights in Papua in 2009.

Matius Murib from the commission's Papuan branch said criminalization of Papuan civilians had escalated significantly, with security forces discrediting anyone suspected of being a member of a separatist group.

Jakarta – Acts of violence and human rights violations in Papua have continued throughout 2009. This situation has further complicated efforts to resolve various problems in Papua through dialogue, as desired by the majority of Papuan people.

Jayapura (Papua) – Major General Hotma Marbun here Monday took over the Cenderawasih regional military command (Kodam-XVII) overseeing Papua and West Papua provinces from Maj Gen Azmyn Yusri Nasution.

Jakarta – Maj. Gen. Hotma Marbun was installed as the Cendrawasih Papua Military Commander on Monday, replacing Maj. Gen. Azmyn Yusri Nasution.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu, West Papua Governor Abraham O Atururi, Papuan People's Assembly chairman Agus Alua and other local leaders.

Markus Makur, Timika – Police on Wednesday arrested a tribal war chief and seven members of the upstream group in Kwamki Lama village as part of efforts to end days of fighting between the village's two rival groups.

A team of 50 police officers on Wednesday received special commendations from the National Police headquarters for shooting and killing Kelly Kwalik, the charismatic leader of an armed faction of the pro-independence Free Papua Movement, in December.

The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) condemns the banning of books by the Indonesian Attorney General's Office (AGO).

Markus Makur, Timika – A new clash broke out between two rival groups in Kwamki Lama village in Timika district, Papua, on Friday.

A day earlier police had managed to stop the fighting that started on Monday afternoon. So far the clashes have left one man dead and dozens of others injured.

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – Papuans can learn Aceh's transition to democracy, which has been far more successful than Papua, an activist from South Papua's Association of Pegunungan Tengah Students (IPMPT) says.

Jakarta – Tribesman have resorted to arrows, slingshots and other traditional weapons in clashes over compensation for a rape in the Indonesian province of Papua.

At least 31 people were injured yesterday as violence involving hundreds of people entered a third day in Kwamki Lama, a regency in Mimika that boasts one of the world's richest goldmines.

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – The Papua Police says it will not reduce the number of police officers guarding the gold and copper mine of US-based PT Freeport Indonesia in Papua despite the recent fatal shooting of a local separatist leader.

Port Vila – The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation and National Authority has invited members of all the Indonesian province's resistance organisations to a "reconciliation meeting" in about June this year.

Febriamy Hutapea – The House of Representatives on Monday opened its first session of the year by calling on the government to pay closer attention to Papua, which lags far behind other provinces in development.

Wisdom cannot be measured by how long one has lived...

Greg Poulgrain – When Indonesia officially became independent of the Dutch 60 years ago this week, Australia's role as midwife was crucial. The conflict that continued for four years in the East Indies after the end of the Pacific war stopped only when America threatened to withhold post-war aid for the Netherlands.

Makassar – A resident from Papua province stood trial Wednesday at the Makassar District Court, South Sulawesi, on charges of carrying and possessing a gun.

Timika, Papua – Tribal leaders in Papua on Tuesday called for the closure of a massive US mine linked to allegations of rights abuses, as they buried slain rebel leader Kelly Kwalik.

Some 400 people followed the casket of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) commander, who was shot in a police raid last week, through the streets of Timika to his grave beside a local church.

Timika – Tribal leaders in Indonesia's restive Papua province Tuesday called for the closure of a massive US mine linked to allegations of rights abuses, as they buried a slain rebel leader.

The killing of Papuan rebel commander Kelly Kwalik may only fuel anti-Indonesian sentiment in the restive territory, underlining the need for talks with separatist leaders, analysts said.

Samuel Wanda – Tribal leaders in Indonesia's easternmost Papua province on Monday threatened to blockade Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold's huge mine after police killed a separatist commander last week.

Markus Makur, Timika – The security in Timika, the capital of Papua's Mimika regency, was disrupted briefly Saturday following the arrival of the body of Papuan rebel leader Kelly Kwalik at the Mimika Legislative Council building.

The Australia West Papua Association has written to The Hon Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs concerning the increasing tension in West Papua caused by the shooting of OPM leader Kelly Kwalik by Indonesian security forces.

Farouk Arnaz, John Pakage & Anita Rachman, Jayapura – The police-announced death of Papuan pro-independence rebel Kelly Kwalik has inflamed supporters, leading analysts to worry about a rise in violence in the province.

Hundreds of Papuans turned out to greet the body at the airport in Timika, where it was flown following an autopsy in the provincial capital, Jayapura.

The December 16 killing of pro-Papuan independence leader Kelly Kwalik by Indonesian police risks further alienation of Papuans and is likely to seriously undermine Papuan efforts to begin an internationally-mediated dialogue with the Indonesian government.

Markus Makur and Nethy Darma Somba, Timika, Jayapura – The body of Papuan separatist leader Kelly Kwalik was welcomed by more than 500 supporters at Timika airport, Papua, on Friday.

The remains were flown onboard a chartered Susi Air plane from the Papuan capital of Jayapura, where forensic authorities conducted DNA testing to verify Kelly's identity.

Niniek Karmini, Jakarta – About 300 people on Thursday protested the police killing of a separatist leader accused in the deaths of 11 people in Indonesia's restive Papua province and demanded his body be released for burial.

Markus Makur, Timika – Police said Kelly Kwalik, a leader of the separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM), was shot to death during a raid in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Agus Riyanto said the Papuan rebel leader was cornered in the Gorong-Gorong complex, one of his hideouts in the town of Timika, Mimika regency.

John Pakage & Farouk Arnaz – The National Police announced on Wednesday that they had shot and killed Kelly Kwalik, the charismatic leader of an armed faction of the pro-independence Free Papua Movement.

Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – The National Police is considering relocating five people to Jakarta after they were arrested during a raid that is believed to have killed rebel group leader Kelly Kwalik in the Papua regency of Mimika early on Wednesday.

Tjahjono EP, Jakarta – Hundreds of residents in Mimika Regency Papua gathered outside the regional legislature office on Wednesday (16/12) to demand confirmation from the regional authority after reports of attack which killed one senior leader of the Free Papua Movement separatist began circulating in the region.

The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) is shocked to hear news of the death of OPM leader Kelly Kwalik who was shot by Indonesian police near Timika in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday 16.2.09).

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Regional autonomy in Papua poses a threat to forests in the province because the infrastructure development following autonomy would exploit forested areas, says a forestry official.

Markus Makur, Timika – Members of the House of Representatives Commission I on security and defense affairs have accused security authorities of being not transparent in handling a series of attacks on PT Freeport Indonesia.