West Papua

Reuters reports that the losses appear to be pushing the Indonesian government and Freeport to resolve the row.

The 34th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, was told that Indonesia has not curtailed or halted various widespread violations.

Vanuatu's Justice Minister Ronald Warsal was speaking on behalf of his country and six other Pacific nations: Tonga, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, and Solomon Islands

Mogu, is part of the Rebel Musik collaboration taking the stage of XO state in Melbourne, next Friday, February 24.

Rebel Musik, he says, will raise awareness on the struggle of West Papua and other ignored issues.

Put together as an initiative of Aireleke – a musician and recognised activist for West Papua, the group of talented musicians from PNG and West Papua will voice the concern on the musical stage.

 “Music is an art form but should not be taken for the aesthetics of it only – the beauty of art as an organised sound.

About 500 people were reported to have been arrested for participating in the demonstrations.

Police in the Papua provincial capital Jayapura confirmed they had charged two Papuans for inciting treason against the state, and provoking other demonstrators to commit treason.

Now, reports from Indonesia indicate that four more people have been charged under the rebellion law after demonstrating in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province.

A treason charge could lead to a jail term of up to 15 years.

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.

Sungi reaffirmed the government’s stand at the 33rd Joint Border Committee between PNG and Indonesia recently in Port Moresby.

He further added that the government and does not condone, tolerate or recognise any illegal activities carried out against the unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

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.

Vanuatu's Daily Post reported Prime Minister Sogavare reportedly saying Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia's FLNKS movement would admit West Papua at the next MSG Leaders’ Summit in Vanuatu, even if Papua New Guinea and Fiji stay away.

The postponed MSG leaders’ summit will be held in December.

West Papua is a province in Indonesia that shares the common land border with Papua New Guinea.