West Papua

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein told a meeting of the Human Rights Council he was concerned the government's invitation to visit Papua had still not been honoured.

In his global update on human rights issues, Mr Al Hussein said he had been invited to visit Papua during his visit to Indonesia in February.

There had been positive engagement by the Indonesian authorities in many other respects, Mr Al Hussein said.

The crowd involved in the riot in Oksibil town also blockaded the local airport in the remote regency abutting the border with Papua New Guinea.

According to the Jakarta Post, the unrest was triggered by disappointment over the regent's failure to give prizes to participants of a fun walk event held to celebrate his district's 15th anniversary.

Locals reported that police were unable to quell the riot, and many local residents who feared for their safety sought refuge in local churches and mosques.

Authorities temporarily closed the airport.

The band in itself is a movement pushing for the freedom of neighbouring West Papua.

Sorong-Samarai movement brings rebel music combining fellow PNG and West Papuan artists, including Airileke, Sprigga Mek, Jaggarizza, Baine, Ukam and the Roem brothers, among a few others.

The band has brought this message onto other international platforms over the years. The most recent being this performance at the renowned Byron Bay Bluesfest.

Antara reported the Association of Churches has said it was also opposed to the use of loudspeakers for the call to prayer, the construction of mushollas, or praying rooms, and mosques at public facilities.

It is also against female students at state schools wearing religious attire.

The Ulema Council said the Association's statement goes beyond the spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, togetherness, and kinship.

The warning was delivered by the Indonesian Foreign Ministry's Director General of Asia-Pacific and African Affairs, Desra Percaya, at this week's MSG leaders summit.

The summit was hosted by Papua New Guinea's prime minister Peter O'Neill in Port Moresby.

It was attended by leaders and officials from the other four full MSG members: Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji and New Caledonia's FLNKS Kanaks Movement.

Indonesia, which is an associate member, was represented by Mr Percaya who endorsed the MSG's plan on regional co-operation and common prosperity.

Filep Karma, the most prominent pro-independence Papuan to have been incarcerated in Indonesia, was held up for questioning by military and police officers at Jakarta's main airport.

It is two years since Filep Karma was released from prison after serving 11 years for treason for raising the banned Papuan nationalist flag, the Morning Star.

Flying in to Sukarno Hatta airport from Yogyakarta, Mr Karma caught the attention of a military, or TNI, officer due to the customary Morning Star badge he wears on his shirt.

Antara news reported the 74 villages are among 191 in the provinces supplied power by the state electricity company PLN.

It reported the PLN business director for Papua regions, Ahmad Rofik, had said the electrification is a special gift for people in remote villages.

Mr Rofik said the power supply cost US$11 million to establish and would benefit over 1000 families.

PLN's rural electricity development is one of the government's strategic programmes.

The PGC’s Forum held after its annual general meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu this week was to hear members on several key topics such as associate membership, bid process and management structure

The other names that were floated in general discussion that could be invited to become members of the regional games were Christmas Island, Bougainville, Easter Islands and Hawaii apart from Australia and New Zealand.

These countries could in future become associate members with certain voting rights.

The Movement is to use the Port Vila summit to evaluate its first three years, establish by-laws, elect executive members and discuss future strategy.

Its secretary-general Octo Mote said the major Papuan representative groups which make up the Movement would be present.

"This time everybody is here, not like last time when many of them were stuck in Papua New Guinea. No, everybody is here. In terms of persons that are participating, this is very successful, from the representation."

Octo Mote said he hoped to be re-elected.

According to Antara news agency, Retno Marsudi said Indonesia also had the right to explain.

This comes after last month's fiery response by Indonesia to speeches by some Pacific governments at the United Nations General Assembly.

Prime ministers of Vanuatu and Solomon Islands called for an investigation into killings and various alleged human rights abuses against West Papuans by Indonesian security forces.

In response, Indonesia's representative accused the countries of being manipulated by Papuans with separatist agendas to exploit the issue of human rights.