West Papua: Army major faces life imprisonment
The Indonesian military says a tribunal has sentenced an army major to life in prison for his involvement in the murder of four Papuan civilians. Their mutilated bodies were found in the restive region in August. Benar
PNG MP condemns arrest of West Papua governor
Papua New Guinea’s Vanimo-Green River MP Belden Namah has condemned the manner in which West Papua Governor Lucas Enembe was arrested and detained by the Indonesian government. Namah, whose electorate borders the
Recruitment of Indonesians in MSG would be ‘unfair’, says Wenda
Vanuatu Free West Papua Association (VFWPA) has threatened to stage a peaceful demonstration if the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat in Port Vila pursues its plan to recruit Indonesians. Amid Daily Post’s
Indonesia president supports plan to scale back troops in Papua
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday he supports plans to scale back the presence of troops in the eastern region of Papua, where the country’s military has been accused of human rights abuses in tackling a
While West Papua faces an ‘existential threat’, PNG plans defence pact with Jakarta: Kogoya
“We are part of them and they are part of us,” declared politician Augustine Rapa, founder and president of the PNG Liberal Democratic Party, on the 61st anniversary of the struggle for West Papuan independence
‘I am shocked’: UN Human Rights Commissioner addresses Papua mutilations
United Nations Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif has expressed ‘shock’ over reports of West Papua mutilations at the 51st session of the Human Rights Council. “In the Papua region (Papua
West Papua: conflict continues, Indonesian soldiers arrested
Six Indonesian soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of killing and mutilating four indigenous Papuans. The soldiers are accused of luring their victims to a meeting with the promise of selling them weapons.
Opinion: The Pacific Islands Forum’s Forgotten Pacific Islanders
No one disputes that a central objective of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is to improve and enhance the broad socio-economic and political development of Pacific Island peoples and address any and all factors
No justice for West Papua at PIF
The plight of West Papuans received little focus at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting this year, however independence leader, Benny Wenda remains confident their time will come. London-based Wenda recently
Indonesia must allow UN visit before Bali G20 meeting: Benny Wenda on West Papua
LONDON/JAYAPURA — I want to thank all the Pacific Elders for their recent statement supporting a visit to West Papua by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and urging the UN Human Rights Council to pass a
Cobb seeks ‘Freedom’
Chris Cobb’s song Freedom is inspired by two tragedies, the ongoing human rights abuses of the indigenous people of West Papua, and the sinking of the MV Rabaul
UN experts sound alarm on serious West Papua abuses, call for urgent aid
UN human rights experts today expressed serious concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, citing shocking abuses against indigenous Papuans, including
Comment: West Papua’s long struggle for freedom
December 2021 will mark the 60th anniversary of the declaration of Papua’s independence and the beginning of eight years of international coalescence to rob a people of their
Opinion: Forum’s moral failure for Melanesians
By Professor Wadan Narsey During the recent crisis over the appointment of Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat's new Secretary General (former Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna), much public debate occurred
Sope’s history lesson
Vanuatu’s former Roving Ambassador and former Prime Minister, Barak Sope, has disputed claims that the late Sir Michael Somare was a supporter of West Papua. Sope says it is important that original political leaders
Opinion: Forum’s moral failure for Melanesians
During the recent crisis over the appointment of Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s new Secretary General (former Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna), much public debate occurred over the supposed
Facebook: Can’t live with it, can’t live without it
Pacific governments face a crucial dilemma with social media. How they react will define our future. The decision this week by Solomon Islands’ cabinet to ban Facebook is wrong, of course. It represents
Pacific predictions: 2020
As we enter not only a new year but a new decade, there is much to anticipate in the Pacific islands region. Elections and domestic politics A number of countries in the region will have elections during 2020: Kiribati,
Massacre, memory and music
Yudha Korwa was just 17 years old when he was attacked by Indonesian soldiers during the Biak massacre on 6 July 1998. “A soldier used a big gun and hit me hard on the head. I saw them kick my friend,”
Pacific leaders want action on West Papua human rights issues
By Nic Maclellan in Funafuti, Tuvalu Members of the Pacific Islands Forum have urged Indonesia to take action on human rights violations in West Papua, and strongly encouraged Jakarta to facilitate a long-mooted visit
Slip, slipping away-Indon losing Melanesia
LAST month, New Zealand-based analyst Jose Sousa-Santos commented on Twitter that “Indonesia’s attempt at buying support from the Pacific region seems to have little to no impact on Melanesia’s stance
The clock ticks
Indonesia fails media test in West Papua JUST five months before Indonesia is set to host UNESCO’s 2017 celebration of World Press Freedom Day, its government still has not met a regional human rights
Leaders agree to disagree on West Papua
THE issue of West Papua remains a headache for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Member countries like Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji are reluctant to grant full membership to the United Liberation Movement of West
