AWPA (Sydney) has written to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders who are meeting in Cairns in August, urging them to discus the deteriorating situation in West Papua at their meeting.
Since last year's Pacific Islands Forum, the situation in West Papua has continued to deteriorate with increasing intimidation of the West Papuan people by the Indonesian security forces.
An NGO, the West Papua Advocacy Team, says it's sad that the US House of Representatives has scrapped provisions, highlighting the conditions of Indonesia's Papua, from a Foreign Relations bill.
Vanimo – Members of the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation have called for peaceful dialogue with Indonesia as the only viable way to settle the conflict in the Indonesian province.
Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – The Indonesian Foreign Ministry said the United States House of Representatives had scrapped from the country's foreign relations bill approved last week a provision highlighting the political status of West Papua and the human rights condition in the province.
Christian Motte – Charges were filed on Thursday against 17 Papuans arrested during an initially peaceful pro-independence rally that degenerated into violence in the Papua town of Nabire just prior to the April 9 legislative elections.
Leaders of the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation [WPNCL] call on Indonesia for peaceful dialogue as the only viable conflict resolution to the West Papuan issue.
Angela Flassy, Jayapura – Prosecutors told the district court in Jayapura, Papua, on Wednesday that pro-independence activist Bucthar Tabuni should be sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for alleged treason.
Jakarta – Prosecutors are continuing to hinder the release of five Australians detained in Papua for the past nine months, even though Indonesia's Supreme Court has cleared them of wrongdoing, the group's lawyer says.
Police in Indonesia's Papua province have named and charged three men in relation to a month-long airstrip occupation by 150 armed people in Memberamo regency.
The three suspects are Nela Yenseren of Biak, Agus Silo of Kampung Kajasi Biakm and Melkianus Soromaja of Kosanoweja.
Nivell Rayda – US-based Human Rights Watch expressed outrage on Friday over the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights' decision not to investigate the alleged torture of prisoners at a state penitentiary in Abepura, Papua.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – Five Australians jailed in Papua for illegally flying into the Indonesian province without visas last year have won their freedom in the country's Supreme Court.
The group – pilot William Scott-Bloxam; his wife, Vera; and friends Hubert Hofer, Keith Mortimer and Karen Burke – is expected home within days, once paperwork is done.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – Five Australians jailed in Papua for illegally flying into the Indonesian province without visas last year have won their freedom in the country's Supreme Court.
Five middle-aged Australians held for nine months in West Papua for immigration offences have been cleared by Indonesia's Supreme Court, clearing the way for their return home.
Angela Flassy, Jayapura – The government is sending reinforcement to Papua ahead of the July 8 presidential election by deploying three platoons of the elite police Mobile Brigade (Brimob).
Angela Flassy, Jayapura – After more than a month, police have finally managed to retake an isolated airstrip in the Memberamo Raya regency, Papua province, which was seized by some 150 armed people, allegedly led by an military deserter, in early May.
Jakarta – At least three people were killed after police from Indonesia's anti-terror unit stormed an isolated airstrip occupied by a group of unidentified gunmen in Papua province, state news agency Antara reported on Sunday.
US-based Human Rights Watch on Friday called on Indonesia to look into the reported torture and abuse of prisoners in a jail in the province of Papua.
In a press release, Human Rights Watch singled out brutality by prison guards at the state jail in Abepura, near the Papua capital of Jayapura.
Jakarta – Indonesia should investigate allegations of prison brutality in insurgency-wracked Papua province, a rights group said Friday, citing rampant reports of torture, beatings, and mistreatment by guards.
The government "needs to put an end to this disgraceful behavior, punish those responsible," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Tom Allard, Merauke, and Daniel Flitton – Australia has been talking tough to Indonesia about the fate of five Australians detained in West Papua, according to acting Foreign Minister Simon Crean, despite claims the Government's approach so far has been spineless.
Tom Allard and Karuni Rompies in Merauke – The extraordinary pursuit of five Australian tourists trapped in the Papuan town of Merauke for almost nine months has been directed by Indonesia's Attorney-General, Hendarman Supandji, "since the start", the lead prosecutor on the case, Yafeth Bonai, has revealed.
How can the government turn a blind eye to beatings and torture in one of its prisons? Jakarta needs to put an end to this disgraceful behavior, punish those responsible, and start keeping a close eye on what is happening there. – Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Tom Allard, Merauke – Ask five Australians in the Papuan town of Merauke to name the worst thing about being detained for almost nine months and the responses vary.
Karen Burke joined the planned three-day trip at the last minute and fears she will never see her ailing father, 83, again.
Andra Jackson – For the past four-and-a-half-years, life in Australia for West Papuan asylum seeker Izack Marani has meant constant worry that the Australian Government might give in to Indonesian demands and return him to West Papua.
Angela Flassy, Jayapura – Religious leaders in Papua have asked for more time to negotiate with a group of armed people who have been occupying Kapeso Airstrip in the newly established Mamberamo Raya regency, Papua.
Jonathan Wootliff – One of the world's largest gold, silver and copper mines can be found deep in the heart of one of Indonesia's most remote landscapes.
Farouk Arnaz & Christian Motte – Despite having surrounded an airfield in Papua that has been occupied by suspected separatists for weeks, the police are still trying to persuade the group to leave the site voluntarily, officials said on Monday.
Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – Police said Friday they are pursuing peaceful means to retake a remote jungle airstrip that was seized by armed separatist rebels in Papua province two weeks ago.
Tom Allard, Jakarta – Indonesia's Supreme Court will fast-track the appeal that will decide the fate of five Australians detained in Papua for more than eight months for visa violations, the judge overseeing the case revealed yesterday.
The National Chief of Indonesia's military, or TNI, says the military will not take short-shrift action against the gunmen from the separatist Free Papua Organisation, or OPM, who have been occupying Kaisiepo airport since May the 19th.
Indonesia denies it's pushing tough jail sentences for five Queenslanders held in Papua as revenge for Australia's treatment of Indonesian fishermen.
A spokesman for Indonesia's attorney-general says there's no hidden political agenda behind the prosecution and continued detention of the Australians, arrested last September for flying into Papua without visas.
Australian officials are doing what they can to secure the release of five Australians held in West Papua since last September, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.
Consular staff had provided extensive assistance to the five since shortly after their detention, he said.
Tom Allard, Jakarta – As he approached Merauke's airport from the sky that fateful Friday, William Scott-Bloxam began to realise there could be consequences for his quickly planned weekend adventure.
A failure to submit a flight plan, or apply for a visa, was likely to result in a fine, he was told by air traffic control.
Tom Allard, Jakarta – Five middle-aged Australians trapped in Papua for more than eight months after arriving without visas have become the unwitting victims of Indonesian hostility about Australia's treatment of Indonesia's citizens.
Steve Holland – Five Australians stranded in Indonesia for almost nine months believe the Australian government is not doing enough to secure their release.
The five were detained in September 2008 for allegedly flying into Papua province without valid visas. In April they thought they were on their way home, but the case is still before the courts.
Nurfika Osman & Christian Motte – The Puncak Jaya home of the Democratic Party's chairman in Papua was fired upon over the weekend, but it was unclear whether the attack was politically motivated.
Indonesia has sent crack paramilitary police to retake a remote jungle airstrip seized by armed separatists in eastern Papua province.
A 40-member police contingent was sent on Wednesday to end the occupation of the airstrip by about 150 villagers, who are armed with automatic weapons and bows and arrows, Papua police spokesman Nurhabri told AFP.
Christian Motte, Jayapura – Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Bagus Ekodanto said on Tuesday that suspected separatists had occupied an airport in the isolated village of Kasepo, Mambramo Raya, some 300 kilometers from the provincial capital Jayapura.
Timika, Papua – Papuan police have increased security measures ahead of the upcoming presidential elections to ensure against any possible disruption to the nationwide vote by armed groups.
Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-047-2009
Dear friends,
The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation says a visit by Indonesia's Ambassador is unlikely to sway Vanuatu's support for West Papuan self-determination.
Primo Alui Joelianto has been in Vanuatu to present his credentials to the Head of State as Indonesia's newly appointed ambassador to Vanuatu, based in Canberra.
West Papua advocates have been urging the United States to apply meaningful pressure on Indonesia for internationally-facilitated dialogue between Jakarta and Papuan leaders.
A member of the West Papua Advocacy Team spoke before a US Congressional panel about threats to human rights and the environment in Indonesia's Papua region.
Jakarta – Agus Ohee, a resident of Harapan village, Jayapura regency, Papua, who was shot by local police during an attempted arrest, died in Sentani hospital on Wednesday morning.
Agus was reportedly shot at around 5 a.m. local time (3 a.m Jakarta time) on Wednesday and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at around 6 a.m..
Jakarta – A Papuan separatist group held a local police officer hostage for seven hours after confiscating his revolver, local police said Sunday.
Papua police chief Bagus Ekodanto said to kompas.com news portal that the incident occurred Saturday and the officer had since been released. He is currently at the Supiori police station.
Jakarta – Tension gripped the Papua regency of Jayapura on Wednesday when dozens of soldiers staged a rare protest, which soon turned violent.
Christian Motte & Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Jayapura – Hundreds of soldiers went after senior officers on Wednesday and damaged their battalion headquarters in Papua after the family of a deceased soldier was told to pay half the cost of flying his body home.
Jakarta – Indonesian Military commander Gen. Djoko Santoso apologized to the public over the incident in Sentani, Papua, where soldiers staged violent protests against their commander.
Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Five Australians who illegally entered Indonesian territory through an airport in Merauke, Papua, in September last year have been banned from leaving the province until a Supreme Court verdict has been handed down.
Head of Merauke Prosecutors' Office, Sudiro Husodo, said the ban was issued by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) on April 2.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is extremely worried for the safety of a team of journalists in Indonesia, who tonight are reported to be in hiding in Jayapura, Papua Province, as hundreds of soldiers of the Indonesian army riot in the town.
Christian Motte & Nurfika Osman – Papua authorities have decided to close down an immigration post at Skouw-Wutung on the country's border with Papua New Guinea, due to the province's deteriorating security situation, an official said on Tuesday.
Two US organizations concerned about human rights in West Papua today urged the US government "to apply meaningful pressure on the Indonesian government and its security forces... to address long-standing Papuan concerns and grievances."