West Papua

ULMWP accepts MSG decision and calls for greater support of West Papua

ULMWP Spokesperson, Benny Wenda, said this could be seen as a delay tactic but ULMWP acknowledges the technical issues highlighted by the leaders and senior officials of the MSG.

The MSG special leaders summit on the 14th of July in the Solomon Islands had agreed to defer the consideration of the application for full membership by ULMWP until membership criteria and guidelines are further developed.                             

SI, Vanuatu, FLNKS, ULMWP maintain support on West Papua

They are also in support of full membership of ULMWP to the Melanesian Spearhead Group .

The MSG members said they are committed to advocating for West Papua and strongly adhere to the principles that are at the core of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, which is the ‘Political aspirations of self- determination of our Melanesian people.’

There is recognition that such a commitment will require bold and ethical leadership and a clear understanding of our Melanesian values.

West Papuans welcome decision by MSG

West Papuans have applied under the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMPW), a collaborative group comprised of united resistance organisations located both inside and outside of West Papua.

The MSG leaders said there was a criteria issue with the West Papuans' application, and the group's secretariat needed to establish guidelines for membership.

Despite the decision on whether the ULMPW can gain full membership of the MSG has been differed to September, the West Papuans are pleased that their application is being considered.

West Papua police chief warns about illegal fishing

Tabloid Jubi reports Royke Lumowa as saying illegal fishing should continue to be a concern for both central and local governments, suggesting that inaction would allow the problem to become rampant.

He said that because the remoteness of West Papua, as well as lack of resources for police to monitor the waters, a lot of illegal fishing went unchecked.

Mr Royke said that to counter illegal fishing, local police needed the help of the Navy, the Marine Department and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, especially in terms of equipment.

Full membership for ULMWP amongst agenda for MSG Leaders’ Summit

Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, who is the current Chair of the MSG, made the assurance when a delegation of ULMWP leaders met with him in Port Vila yesterday requesting him to favourably consider two issues for addressing by the MSG.

MSG chair urges UN intervention in West Papua

Mr Sogavare, who is the prime minister of Solomon Islands, has also declared his country's support for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's bid to be a full member of the MSG.

Mr Sogavare has just been in Port Vila where he met with his Vanuatu counterpart Charlot Salwai whose proposal to give the Liberation Movement full membership at the MSG is to be discussed at an upcoming MSG leaders summit in Papua New Guinea.

West Papua report dismisses Canberra's claims

RNZI reports the mission in February by the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Brisbane has produced a report called 'We will Lose Everything'

Peter Arndt, who led the fact finding team, says the indigenous people they met made it clear the human rights situation was not improving and it remains a difficult environment.

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Declaration in London for supervised vote on West Papua

The group, the International Parliamentarians for West Papua, were meeting at the Houses of Parliament to discuss the future of the region which is administered by Indonesia.

According to the group Free West Papua, the British opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, reiterated his support for the struggle for freedom in the region and said he would like this to be written into Labour Party policy.

Mass arrests in West Papua ahead of demos

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.

New church report alleges 'slow motion genocide' in West Papua

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.