Jakarta – The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has criticised the Indonesian government's decision to label the Free Papua Movement (OPM) or armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua as terrorists.

Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Deputy Commissioner Amiruddin Al-Rahab said he is disappointed with the government's decision to pin the terrorist label on armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua.

Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy human rights and security sector researcher Ikhsan Yosarie is urging the government to use a soft approach in dealing with the conflict in Papua.

Jakarta – People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Bambang Soesatyo is calling on security forces to deploy their full strength and totally destroy armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua. According to Soesatyo, security forces should not be hesitant about deployed their forces and human rights matters can be discussed later.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is concerned that the discourse on labeling armed crimiAccording to Amar, it is appropriate nal groups (KKB) in Papua as terrorists will give rise to the misuse of power.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura – The government appears to be at a loss as to how to quell the struggle by the Free Papua Organisation or OPM with its plan to designate Papua independence organisations as terrorist groups.

Genta Tenri Mawangi, Jakarta – The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) plans to propose that armed criminal groups (KKB) in Papua and the Free Papua Organisations (OPM) be designated as terrorist organisations.

Medan – Scores of students from the Papuan Student Association (IMP) in Medan, North Sumatra, held a protest action in front of the North Sumatra University (USU) Rectorate Bureau Building on Tuesday February 2 protesting racism allegedly committed by USU Professor Yusuf Leonard Henuk.

Jakarta – Residents of Tambrauw regency in West Papua province are opposing the establishment of the Tambrauw 1810 District Military Command (Kodim) which was officially inaugurated on Monday December 14.

Jakarta – The fissure in relations between the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) and the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) began to sharpen in 2017.

Jakarta – The Presidential Staff Office says it regrets the raising of the Morning Star flag – which is identified with Papuan independence – at the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Melbourne, Australia, on Tuesday December 1.

Jakarta – On December 1, United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Chairperson Benny Wenda declared Papuan independence. He did not make the declaration on Papuan soil but rather through a press release on the ULMWP's official website.

Protest actions took place in several cities around Indonesia on December 1 including in Jakarta, Yogyakarta (Central Java), Ternate (North Maluku) and Sinjai (South Sulawesi). The actions were launched to commemorate West Papua Independence Day.

Surabaya – Protesters from the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) held a demonstration commemorating the declaration of West Papuan independence at the Negara Grahadi building in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Tuesday December 1.

Jakarta – Scores of Papuans held a protest action in front of the Arjuna Wiwaha (Horse) statue on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta on Tuesday December 1. The action coincided with the day which is often linked to the commemoration of Papuan independence, December 1.

Semarang – Frans Josua Napitu, a Semarang State University (Unnes) student who reported the university's rector to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has challenged the campus administration to an academic debate over accusation that he is involved with the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) director Al Araf is asking on the government to reevaluate the security policies applied to bring the conflict in Papua under control.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) monitoring and investigation team has revealed that there have been efforts to obscure the facts surrounding the shooting of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Hitadipa district, Intan Jaya, Papua, on September 19.

Jakarta – The head of the Papua Province Humanitarian Team for Cases of Violence Against Religious Figures in Intan Jaya Regency, Haris Azhar, has announced the results of their investigation into the shooting of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani who was allegedly shot by a rogue Indonesian military (TNI) officer in Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya, on Sept

Jakarta – On Monday October 26 combined units of Indonesian military (TNI) and police (Polri) conducted operations against an armed criminal group (KKB) in Jalai village, Sugapa district, Intan Jaya regency, Papua.