West Papua

Marape in a statement said the release of a statement last week about his meeting with the Indonesian President Joko Widodo was done without his consent and moved to correct what he termed as misinformation.

This he said is to alleviate concerns raised within Melanesian Solidarity Group (MSG) countries, West Papua, Indonesia, and the international community.

PNGCC emphasized that they will take necessary steps to show concern and reach out to the Papua New Guinea Government to push the West Papua agenda forward through the various Regional and International Political Leaders forums in the immediate future.

The Council of Churches is in support of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) to be accorded full membership status in the brotherhood of the "Melanesian Spearhead Group Summit.

Key points:

He says the agenda will include discussions on Indonesia’s sovereignty, and their handling of the West Papuan issues and how these issues affect Papua New Guineans and the people of West Papua.

Tkatchenko says, “There’s been a lot of allegations about human rights issues that have been brought up with the Pacific Islands Forum and also with the governments, previous governments and governments of Papua New Guinea over many years.”

Key points:

• Military personnel are searching for the pilot and five passengers
• The West Papua National Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attack
• The rebel group say it will release the pilot when the government recognises the region's independence

A police spokesperson in Papua province, Ignatius Benny Adi Prabowo, said authorities were investigating the incident, with police and military personnel sent to the area to locate the pilot and five passengers.

Pastor Alberto John Bunai headed a press conference to deliver the statement by the group of Catholic leaders at the Bright World of Christ Parish in Waena, Jayapura city, Papua province.

He said there had been dozens of ideological and political conflicts between indigenous Papuans and the Indonesian government, and that these conflicts had triggered armed violence in Papua to this day.

Pro-independence fighters with the West Papua Liberation Army have been blamed for killing four Indonesian soldiers on an attack on a military post in Maybrat last week.

It's the latest violent in a series of attack by the Liberation Army in its ongoing campaign against the Indonesian state in Papua region.

As Indonesian security forces mounted a hunt for the killers in Maybrat, many local villagers feared getting caught up in the armed conflict

In line with the Forum Leaders decisions in Tuvalu in 2019, the Forum Chair has this week written to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet, requesting an update on the consultations with the Government of Indonesia concerning the invitation for a mission to West Papua (Papua).

The group includes men, women and children.

The West Papuans, from Boven Digoel village, are currently in North Fly District.

Pictures of the West Papuans who crossed over were shared with this newsroom by a reliable source on ground.

Michael Pius said the people began crossing the border in November.

Pius, who is from a mixed parentage of Western Province and West Papua, said their safety in West Papua was not guaranteed because state security cannot protect them.

He said they felt their lives were in danger and so fled across the border.

Additionally, the petition initiated by NCD Governor Powes Parkop, with the support of his Northern counterpart Gary Juffa, PNG Council of Churches, NGOs and others, also demands the UN to immediately implement the recent Pacific Island Forum’s resolution on West Papua for Indonesia to invite United Nation’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, and her technical team for a trip and investigate the allegations of gross abuse on human rights and genocide, and hold those responsible accountable.