Tubagus Achmad – A rally by the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) in the East Java city of Malang on Monday June 15 demanded the release of Papuan political prisoners (tapols) across Indonesia as well as the right of self-determination for the Papuan people.

Waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waaa!

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD says that Indonesia is entitled to take any and all measures to hold on to Papua.

He said this in relation to demands for a referendum on self-determination for Papua in the name of international law.

Oleh Farid M. Ibrahim – Welcoming December 1, 2019 yesterday, activists from the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) and its supporters in a number of different countries held actions in which they brought and flew the Morning Star independence flag. Several activities were coordinated on social media through the hashtag #GlobalFlagRaising.

Shinta Maharani, Yogyakarta – Around 100 students from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) along with various other organisations held a protest action demanding a referendum for West Papua at the Gajah Mada University (UGM) traffic circle in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Sunday December 1.

Rahmat Rahman Patty, Ambon – A protest action by scores of Papuan students calling themselves the Struggle Committee for Democracy and Human Rights in front of the World Peace Gong in Ambon City, Maluku, was broken up by police on Sunday December 1.

Jakarta – The Indonesian police have banned people in Papua from holding celebrations in the lead up to the anniversary of the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) on December 1.

The Labour Movement With the People (GEBRAK) strongly condemns the coup d’etat in Bolivia against the government of Evo Morales.

Racism by the ruling class through the security forces and reactionary civil militia groups against the Papuan people has triggered a fight back. The siege and attack on the Papuan student dormitory in the Central Java city of Surabaya on August 16 triggered a wave of anti-racist protests in Papua and across Indonesia.

Reza Gunadha, Eleonora Padmasta Ekaristi Wijana – Lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman has been awarded the Sir Ronald Wilson Human Rights Award by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).

The ACFID presented the award to Koman at its annual conference in Sydney on the evening of Wednesday October 23.

Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that he doesn’t have any problems will a proposal that he meet with pro-referendum Papuan figures, including those in the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and the West Papua National Committee (KNPB).

Jakarta – Around 20 Papuan students from the Javanese cities of Bandung, Malang and Yogyakarta have met with the family of former president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid to discuss the current situation in Papua. The meeting was held at the residence of the late Gus Dur in Ciganjur, Jakarta, on Friday September 13.

Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I Deputy Chairperson Satya Yudha believes that efforts by United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Chairperson Benny Wenda to provoke the Papuan people resemble the scenario by Jose Ramos Horta when he invited the people of East Timor – now called Timor Leste – to separate from the Uni

Valda Kustarini and Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Papua representative office of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) is urging the government to deal with the Papua conflict through dialogue with the “appropriate” parties.

Jakarta – Indonesian police chief (Kapolri) General Tito Karnavian claims that Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and the pro-independence West Papua National Committee (KNPB) were behind the anarchic demonstrations in and outside of Papua and West Papua.

Since the siege on the Papuan student dormitory in Surabaya, a wave of demonstrations by the Papuan people has taken place. Massive protest actions have taken place in at least 14 districts in Papua and West Papua provinces.

Valda Kustarini, Astri Septiani and Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) and the Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy (ELSAM) have criticised the arrest of six Papuan students on charges of makar (treason, subversion, rebellion).

Eva Safitri, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Wiranto has spoken out about the alleged involvement of Papuan separatist figure Benny Wenda accusing him of being part of a conspiracy which triggered the recent rights in Papua.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) head of organisational development, Febriyonesta, has criticised police for declaring eight people as suspects for flying the Morning Star flag during a protest action in front of the State Palace on August 28.

Jakarta – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson Victor Yeimo says that they are calling for a national strike throughout the territory claimed to be West Papua to demand a referendum or an act of self-determination through a popular vote.