News Stories
Category: Human Rights
93 West Papuan children reportedly die from disease caused by Indonesian government negligence
September 14, 2017
93 children have died in West Papua due to systematic Indonesian government neglect
CALL TO ACTION: Help pressure the UN General Assembly on social media!
September 14, 2017
Starting on September 12, 2017, the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) commenced. It will run until September 25. We need as much help as possible in bringing the Indonesian occupation of West Papua to the attention of the world! Internationals events such as these are a…
Indonesian journalist faces up to 4 years in prison for comparing plight of Rohingya to plight of West Papuans
September 14, 2017
Indonesian veteran journalist and documentary filmmaker Dandhy Dwi Laksono is under criminal investigation by the Indonesian police for a Facebook post comparing the plight of the Rohingya people in Myanmar to the plight of the people of West Papua. According to Global Voices, Dandhy Dwi Laksono wrote that that ‘if Myanmar’s government is…
More of the same: human rights in West Papua, July-September 2017
September 13, 2017
Unsurprisingly, a litany of human rights abuses have continued to wrack occupied West Papua from July to September this year. As we documented, 2016 was a year of continued harassment, mass arrests, imprisonment and killings; 2017 has been similarly dire for West Papuans. Mass arrests Under President Joko Widodo, mass…
West Papuan youth killed and others shot by the Indonesian police for protesting against exploitation
September 9, 2017
Due to a lack of initial confirmation of details, this story has been published now but the events described below took place on 9th August 2017. On 9th August, 1 West Papuan youth Theo Cakatem was killed and 2 others were shot by the Indonesian military in Port Poamako near
Up to 32 West Papuan people reportedly arrested and tortured in Sorong
September 7, 2017
1 Muk selak 2 Warpo wetipo 3 asina balingga 4 rayono kobak 5 Koco kt knpb sorong 6 ketua kanpb p bintang 7 andy 8 hosea 9 yusak 10 niko hiluka 11 tinus hilika 12 hiskia meage 13 Ketua knpb konsulat 14 Agus pahabol kt 15 knpb sentani 16 kace…
Demonstrations in Samoa and Papua New Guinea call upon Pacific Islands Forum to support West Papua
September 6, 2017
Yesterday demonstrations were held in Apia, Samoa and Kiunga, Papua New Guinea to call upon the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) to support self-determination for West Papua at the current 48th Leaders Meeting.
West Papua film screening night in Melbourne, Australia
September 5, 2017
Brunswick Picture House in Melbourne, Australia is hosting a double West Papua film screening next month, featuring undercover documentary Forgotten Bird of Paradise and award-winning biopic The Road to Home, about West Papua independence leader Benny Wenda. The screenings have been organised by Australian activist Emma Capp who says “Because…
Beyond the Pacific: West Papua on the World Stage Conference
September 3, 2017
A terrific and very informative conference organized by the West Papua Project, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney and the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University. Congratulations to the conference Facilitator, Ronny Kareni , WPP Coordinator, Dr. Cammi Webb-Gannon and WPP Convener, Dr. Jim
24 West Papuan people reportedly arrested in Fak-Fak
August 21, 2017
We have received urgent and unconfirmed reports that on 20th August at approximately 15:20, 24 West Papuan activists were arrested by the Indonesian police in the port of Fak-fak. It is believed that all the activists are from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB). The names of those reported arrested…