West Papua

RNZI reports demonstrations have been planned for today in most of the region's urban centres as West Papuans mark by protest the anniversary of transferal of administration in the former Dutch New Guinea to Indonesia in 1963.

Dozens of West Papuans were arrested in Papuan cities such as Jayapura and Merauke for organising demonstrations which were expected to take place today.

The Catholic report says Muslims are being radicalised in the once predominantly Christian Papuan provinces, and very active militias are burning down Papuan houses.

According to RNZI, the report was compiled by the Brisbane Catholic Justice and Peace Commission's Shadow Human Rights Fact Finding Mission to West Papua, following a visit last month.

Sogavare was in Suva Wednesday and held talks with Bainimarama as well as Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

He says the situation in West Papua remains an issue for Melanesian countries.

“It’s a transnational issue and is not something that you can shy away from. All right thinking people on planet earth should be able to express concern when a race is actively prosecuted.”

FBC reports the Fijian government has confirmed it recognises Indonesia’s sovereignty over West Papua.

At a meeting in New Caledonia the FLNKS spokesman, Victor Tutugoro, said the issue of West Papua must be pursued with vigour by the MSG.

The chair of the MSG, Solomons' prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, said the issue of West Papua is dear to the hearts of Solomon Islanders.

He says the significance of this is manifested in the Solomons' appointment of a special envoy on West Papua last year.

The Movement, which was last year granted observer status at the Melanesian Spearhead Group, this week opened an office in the Highlands of Papua province, a building shaped as a circular traditional Melanesian house.

The students are members of the Student Forum Cooperation Clumps of Melanesia (FMKRM) and the United Liberation for West Papua (ULMWP)

They were joined by the administrators of Cenderawasih University Students Consultative Assembly (MPM Uncen) who expressed their sentiments in a message to congratulate Mr Tabimasmas when elected to succeed Sato Kilman at the helm of the national executive power.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Rimbink Pato said Regional Resettlement Arrangement (RRA) refugees have a different level of need because they have arrived more recently and come from a non-Melanesian background.  

He said the Citizenship Advisory Committee will be meeting soon to deliberate on more than 1,000 West Papuan refugees who have been registered in East Awin, Kiunga, and Port Moresby.

Meanwhile, Pato said that in 1986 Papua New Guinea acceded to the 1951 Convention of the Status of Refugees and its related 1967 Protocol.

West Papua has seen a low-level separatist war since Jakarta took over the former Dutch colony in the 1960s.

Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare made the proposal in Honiara this week to a ULMWP delegation led by their secretary general Octo Mote.

Filep Karma was freed from a prison on the outskirts of Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia's Papua province.

Karma, the most prominent of Papua's political prisoners and convicted of raising a pro-independence flag, walked free from jail on Thursday to an emotional welcome by hundreds of cheering supporters.

The leasders brought up the issue at the recent 70^th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

ULMWP spokesperson, Benny Wenda, expressed his deepest gratitude to the Pacific leaders and their people, saying, “on behalf of the people of West Papua, we the United Liberation Movement for West Papua would like to convey all our deepest and most sincere gratitude to our Pacific leaders for being the sole moral voices on West Papua at the United Nations.”