West Papua

Pacific concern relayed at UN over West Papua abuses

The 34th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, was told that Indonesia has not curtailed or halted various widespread violations.

Vanuatu's Justice Minister Ronald Warsal was speaking on behalf of his country and six other Pacific nations: Tonga, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, and Solomon Islands

Australia and Indonesia restore military links

Indonesia's president Joko Widodo has just completed his first state visit to Australia where he had talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

It marks the resumption of a close working relationship between the neighbouring countries' armed forces.

Indonesia partially suspended military links with Australia at the start of the year.

This followed discovery of what was deemed "insulting" material at a Special Forces base in Perth where Indonesian troops were training.

Rebel Musik to raise awareness on West Papua struggle

Mogu, is part of the Rebel Musik collaboration taking the stage of XO state in Melbourne, next Friday, February 24.

Rebel Musik, he says, will raise awareness on the struggle of West Papua and other ignored issues.

Put together as an initiative of Aireleke – a musician and recognised activist for West Papua, the group of talented musicians from PNG and West Papua will voice the concern on the musical stage.

 “Music is an art form but should not be taken for the aesthetics of it only – the beauty of art as an organised sound.

13 die in West Papua plane crash

RNZ reports the Hercules C130 plane had taken off from the city of Timika before crashing near its destination of Wamena.

Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency says the crash site on Lisuwa mountain was been found and the bodies of the victims were being brought back to Wamena.

Indonesia has a patchy air safety record and President Joko Widodo promised a review of the country's ageing air force fleet last year after a military transport plane crashed, killing more than 100 people.

SAMPARI 2016: artworks, poetry, cartoons, climate talk, film, melanesian culture

The main aim of the exhibition is to raise awareness of the West Papuan peoples wish for independence and right to self-determination.

Indonesian push for education about Papua history

RNZ reports the newly-established Indonesian People's Front for West Papua, or FRI West Papua, this week declared its support for West Papuan liberation from Indonesian rule.

Made up of non-Papuans, the group said that the universal right to self-determination was denied in the case of West Papua.

Its spokesman Surya Anta says Indonesians are not well educated about what he calls the illegitimate takeover of Papua.

Solomons won't enter media duel with Jakarta

Indonesia's Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has urged Australia to pass on a message to Pacific Island governments to not interfere in Indonesian domestic affairs.

In media comments in the past week, he pressed Canberra to rebuke Pacific states, in particular Solomon Islands, for raising Papua in global forums and inviting Papuans to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The Solomons' envoy on West Papua, Rex Horoi, said his government won't respond to what is effectively a media statement.

West Papua resources fray discussed alongside climate

'At the Intersection: Pacific Climate Change and Resource Exploitation in West Papua' runs for two days, hosted by Western Sydney University and the University of Sydney's West Papua Project.

The keynote speaker is Vanuatu's Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Ralph Regenvanu. Others attending include climate change scientists and West Papuan analysts.

The conference has been organised by Dr Cammi Webb-Gannon from Western Sydney University who said climate change and pernicious resource extraction in West Papua had a deep connection.

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Jakarta urged to open up on Papua

Several days ago, leaders of a number of Pacific Island countries raised concern at the UN general assembly about alleged human rights abuses against West Papuans.

West Papua remains a part of Indonesia: PNG Govt

This follows the attendance of the PNG delegation led by Foreign Affairs Minister, Rimbink Pato, to the United Nations General Assembly meeting where several Pacific Island nations raised the West Papua issue.

Minister Pato responded, during a media conference today, saying that PNG’s position has been clear as announced during various regional meetings.

“We have a very strong relationship with government and people of Indonesia, we have a whole range of agreements and treaties that govern our relationship,” said Pato.