Indonesia

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.

The demonstrations were held to express support for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is vying for full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Monday's protests came as West Papuans marked the anniversary of transferral of administration in the former Dutch New Guinea to Indonesia in 1963.

The independent West Papuan newspaper, Tabloid Jubi, reports that overall 1692 people were arrested.

Jubi reports that a researcher from Bern University in Switzerland was interrogated by police too.

President Widodo has pledged more focus on a socio-economic approach to resolving issues for West Papuans.

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

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.

It has not yet been publicly released, nor comment sought from Indonesian authorities.

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.

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.

The memberships of both Indonesia and the ULMWP were the highlight of last year's MSG summit in Solomon Islands with the former securing associate membership and the latter observer status in the sub-regional Melanesian body.

  Yamizard Ryacudu said Indonesia had “never disrupted or caused disruptions in other countries” and it expected the same of other nations regarding Papua and its long-running independence movement.

“There are countries that are getting involved in the issue of Papua. For us, Papua is [part] of the united Republic of Indonesia. The united Republic of Indonesia extends from Sabang [in Sumatra] to Papua. There is no other solution, that’s it, that’s the way it is,” Ryacudu said in Sydney on Monday.

Tabloid Jubi reports the BIN chairman Sutiyoso saying the Task Force is composed of representatives from BIN and the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) who have extensive experience in Papua.

According to Sutiyoso, separatism in Papua can be ended by prioritising the fulfilment of public welfare in the region.

He says separatism exists in small, widely dispersed groups in Papua.

However the chairman says separatism should be taken seriously, and that a persuasive approach must be prioritised by Indonesia's government.

PM: our soldiers hunting for border kidnap gang

http://www.looppng.com/content/pm-our-soldiers-hunting-border-kidnap-gang

PNG Defence Force troops are searching around the border with Indonesia for two foreigners allegedly being held against their will.

NZ minister takes a hands-off approach to climate victims

The Prime Minister Peter O’Neill tonight confirmed that “a group of individuals’’ were being sought over the missing men.

He said two Indonesian men are believed to have been captured and being held “against their will’’ near the border with Indonesia.

But the Prime Minister gave no other details of the two men or where the incident had happened along the border.

The Prime Minister said it would not be appropriate to release further information at this time on the current operation.