West Papua

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.

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

RNZ reports Barak Sope said Indonesia is only on the committee to ensure the subject of self-determination in West Papua is not discussed.

Vanuatu is one of the strongest supporters of Papuan self-determination and Mr Sope has been one of the strongest advocates.

He said Vanuatu has a right to sit on two UN committees and should push to have its say on what is known as the Commmittee of 24.

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.

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.

'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.

A leader's summit for the regional group originally scheduled for this week has again been postponed without explanation.

This comes as the MSG grapples with a bid for full membership by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is opposed by Indonesia.

Barak Sope, a staunch advocate for West Papuan independence, said the group has become ineffective because Fiji and Papua New Guinea, which both support Indonesia, are dodging making a decision.

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.

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.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare hem se tufala isiu blong human rights violation  wea Indonesia hem duim long West Papua an isiu blong indipendens tufala i sem samting nomoa. 

Praem Minista Charlot Salwai blong Vanuatu hem talem UN tu olsem, hem laekem UN fo no toktok nating bat fo duim samting abaot isiu blong West Papua. 

Praem Minista Sogavare hem se tu olsem sapos isiu blong sorereignty long West Papua hemi garem kwesten long hem, then hem mas kamap long kot.