Wilpret Siagian, Jayapura – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Chairperson Agus Kossay was arrested by a joint team from the Papua regional police on Tuesday September 17. Kossay has been declared a suspect for allegedly being the mastermind behind the riots in Jayapura on August 29.

Jakarta – Two international non-government organisations (NGOs), namely the Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) from Holland and the Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) from Canada, have written to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in relation to the prosecution of Veronica Koman.

Jakarta – Papua Student Alliance (AMP) lawyer Veronica Koman has finally spoken out about being declared a suspect by the East Java provincial police for inciting an incident at the Papuan student dormitory in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya in August.

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.

Wahyu Setiawan, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the meeting between President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and scores of Papuan figures at the State Palace three days ago failed to resolve the problems in Papua.

Jakarta – Police have arrested the chairperson of the Mimika West Papua National Committee (KNPB), Steven Italy, for allegedly playing a role in the riots and protest actions which took place in Jayapura, Papua. Police has already declared him a suspect.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Ombudsman suspects that there was maladministration in the arrest of Surya Anta and several other Papua activists by the Metro Jaya regional police last week.

Ahmad Jilul Qurani Farid, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I has asked Foreign Affairs Minister (Menlu) Retno Marsudi to prevent the internationalisation of the Papua issue so it is not used as propaganda by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) led by Benny Wenda.

Audrey Santoso, Jakarta – Police have arrested the deputy chairperson of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Buchtar Tabuni. Tabuni was arrested on Monday for alleged makar (treason, subversion, rebellion).

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

Hans Arnold Kapisa, Jakarta – West Papuan human rights activist and Manokwari Legal Aid Assessment, Research and Development Institute (LP3BH) Director Yan Christian Warinussy is critical of the 61 figures that were included in a delegation of Papuans who held a meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the State Palace today.

Ratu Annisaa Suryasumirat, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Wiranto has responded to plans by separatist figure Benny Wanda to take the Papua conflict to the United Nations Human Rights (HAM) High Commission which met in Geneva on Monday September 9.

Jakarta – Inter-faith religious leaders have called on the government to be careful in dealing with the problems in Papua.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) believes that the police have failed to look at the context when they declared Veronica Koman and Surya Anta suspects. Komnas HAM Deputy Chairperson Sandrayati Moniaga said that both are included in the ranks of human rights defenders.

Reza Gunadha and Yosea Arga Pramudita – Civil Society Coalition for Democracy spokesperson Suarbudaya Rahadian has revealed that Paulus Surya Anta Ginting or Surya Anta has been placed in an isolation cell.

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.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is of the view that the naming of Veronica Koman as a suspect could create fear among the public about speaking out on issues related to human rights (HAM) violations in 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).