The organisation calling itself the executive government of the Federal Republic of West Papua has sent a letter to the Pacific Islands Forum seeking membership in the regional organisation.

The letter has been written by the Republic's President Forkorus Yaboisembut from jail where he is serving a three year sentence for his part in organising the Third Papuan People's Congress in 2011 where the Federal Republic was declared.

Mr Yaboisembut has asked the Forum's Secretary General, Tuiloma Neromi Slade, that his organisation be granted Observer or Permanent Membership Status in the Forum.

The President says that it was never the choice of West Papuans to be integrated into Indonesia.

He says West Papuans continue to suffer widespread human rights abuses under Indonesian rule and wish to have Pacific regional support in having these abuses addressed.

Mr Yoisembut reminded Mr Slade that during the Netherlands Colonial Era, West Papua was one of the founding members of former South Pacific Commission in 1950 which eventually became the Pacific Island Forum.