Jakarta – Police have released 54 participants of a Papuan People's Council (MRP) public hearing into Special Autonomy in Papua who were arrested for allegedly committing makar (treason, subversion, rebellion).

Police arrested 54 participants of a public hearing organised by the Papuan People's Council (MPR) at the Valentine Hotel in Merauke regency in Papua on the afternoon of Tuesday November 17.

Dhias Suwandi, Jayapura – A group of people in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, have blocked the arrival of an entourage from the Papuan People's Council (MRP) who were to hold a public hearing (RDP) on Papuan Special Autonomy in the Lapago indigenous territory.

Jakarta – The Papua regional police managed to arrest 13 people protesting against Special Autonomy in the vicinity of the Cenderawasih University (Uncen), Papua, and in several other areas on October 27. The demonstrators however were released after being questioned at the Abepura sectoral police headquarters.

Jakarta – Police forcibly dispersed a student protest near the Cendrawasih University (Uncen) in Jayapura, Papua, on Monday September 28. The students were protesting against an extension of Special Autonomy (Otsus) for Papua.

Toyiban, Manokwari – Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has approved a program to recruit 1,000 Special Autonomy non-commissioned officers  (Bintara Otsus) which was proposed by the West Papua/Kasuari/XVIII Regional Military Command (Kodam).

Jakarta – Papuan Traditional Council (DAP) Second Secretary John Gobay is asking President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to quickly issue a government regulation on the mechanisms for establishing local political parties in the Land of the Cenderawasih as Papua is known.

On Tuesday July 15 a protest action against Papuan Special Autonomy (Otsus) Chapter II was held at the zero kilometre point in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta. The joint action was initiated by the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP).

Jakarta – Papuan students from the Action Committee Against Special Autonomy demonstrated in front of the Home Affairs Ministry offices in Jakarta on Tuesday July 14 against Special Autonomy (Otsus). The students said that the policy is not needed by the people of the land of the Bird of Paradise as Papua is known.

The following is a translation of a press release by 17 West Papuan organisations that have launched a Papuan People’s Petition (Petisi Rakyat Papua) to oppose the government’s discussion on renewing Papua’s Special Autonomy Law (Otsus) which expires next year.