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 "gentlemen's
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
Storm warning
Fury over West Papua flag ON July 13, Indonesian delegates — angry because the Morning Star Flag, emblem of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP), was flown alongside other members’ flags
WEST PAPUA Activists fight on
ONE year from now the People of Papua will mark the 50th anniversary of their independence from the Dutch and the raising for the first time of the Morning Star flag. Today, the raising of that flag is considered a
Church on a mission for WEST PAPUA
THE Catholic Church in Pacific has placed the issue of West Papua firmly in its sights after an impassioned plea from regional civil society groups. Next month, Bishop Jean Bosco Baremes of the Diocese of Port
West Papua’s case heats up
Solomon Islands, Tonga join the cause WEST Papua and its campaign to seek more international support for independence has gone up a few notches with Pacific Island Leaders discussing their plight at their annual summit
