Fiji's Government and Opposition have indicated their commitment to help West Papua join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato has reaffirmed his government's support for Indonesian territorial sovereignty in West Papua and Papua provinces.

There are signs that Papua New Guinea's government may be backtracking from comments made by the prime minister last week that it is time to speak out about West Papua.

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister says the time has come for his government to speak out about oppression of West Papuans in neighbouring Indonesia.

Papua New Guinea's prime minister Peter O'Neill has promised to do more to speak out on behalf of Melanesians in Indonesian West Papua.

The chairman of the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, says inclusion in the Melanesian Spearhead Group would open up solutions for his people's self-determination struggle.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua says it is vital that West Papuans have full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Jemima Garrett – Papua New Guinea's prime minister Peter O'Neill has promised to do more to speak out on behalf of Melanesians in Indonesian West Papua.

United Liberation Movement for West Papua/ULMWP, newly formed West Papuan coordinating body which comprised of three main resistance groups, namely Federal Republic of West Papua, West

The West Papua National Liberation Front will submit its application for West Papua to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group by the end of the next week.

The international spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua says the group will submit its application to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group in February.

Fiji's opposition parties have rallied behind the Free West Papua Movement in a move they hope will put pressure on authorities to act.

Andreas Gerry Tuwo, Jakarta – It turns out that the demonstrations currently taking place at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta are not just being held by labour orga

Vanuatu's former prime minister, Barak Sope, says the people of his country are convinced that West Papua will one day gain its independence from Indonesia.

West Papuan delegates are converging on Vanuatu's capital to try and form a unified bid to get West Papua membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Vanuatu's former Prime Minister, Edward Natapei, says he hopes a united political force for West Papua will be formed as a result of a conference being held in Port Vila this week.

The chair of Vanuatu's West Papua Unification Committee is confident next week's summit will produce a united West Papuan bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Vanuatu's West Papua Unification Committee says it is aiming to ensure all opinions will be well represented at its summit next week.

By Camellia Webb-Gannon and Jim Elmslie

Introduction

The West Papua conference that was expected to open in Vanuatu next week has been postponed.

West Papuan campaigners, supporters and students gathered in Auckland for a memorial ceremony for the Vanuatu-based exile John Ondawame who died recently in Port Vila.

The Pacific Freedom Forum says Indonesia's President-elect Joko Widodo should keep his campaign promise to open up access to West Papua.

Margareth S.

The Chairman of the Vanuatu-based West Papua Unification Committee says they won't defer to Indonesia on the issue of West Papuan self-determination aspiration.

The Vanuatu-based West Papua Unification Committee has postponed this month's planned West Papua conference to early October.

Vanuatu's Prime Minister Joe Natuman has reconfirmed his government's support for West Papuan independence aspirations to Indonesia's government.

The Vanuatu Prime Minister says a West Papua conference in Port Vila this month will provide a platform for delegates to decide together whether they want to join the Melanesian Spearhe

Support for a West Papuan bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group is strong in Indonesia's Papua region, according to a leading local journalist.

The Pacific Islands Forum leaders in Palau have been urged to discuss human rights violations in West Papua.

The 45th Pacific Islands Forum and related meetings will be held from 29 July to 1 August 2014 in Koror, the Republic of Palau.

Port Moresby – The Government of Vanuatu will continue raising the issue on West Papua to the UN.

The Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman says the government is still looking at pushing the West Papua issue at the United Nations level.

The Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman says the onus is on Indonesia to allow West Papuan groups to partake in a more inclusive application to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders say they want to take a more proactive approach alongside Indonesia to help address the development needs of West Papuans.

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – Police said that two firearms, some traditional weapons and a thousand rounds of ammunition seized in a Jayapura raid had been smuggled in from Papua New Gui

Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders meeting in Port Moresby have indicated that the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation's bid to join the group will have to return to the drawin

Port Moresby, PNG – The Free West Papua Campaign PNG chapter is appealing to the members of Parliament for the West Papua's membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders meeting this week in the Papua New Guinea capital are expected to formulate a decision on a West Papuan bid to join the grouping.

Siteri Sauvakacolo – The Indonesian embassy in Fiji says no one has the right to interfere in matters relating to West Papua.

Tevita Vuibau – Churches in Fiji and the region are throwing their voices behind self determination for West Papua.

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would explain his policies on Papua during his visit to Fiji, where he will attend a meeting of Pacific Island leaders, some of whom

Churches in the Solomon Islands have agreed to actively support the struggle for political independence of the people of West Papua.

Wutung, PNG – - The Indonesia-PNG border was officially opened on Tuesday this week but closed down again three hours later due to the killing of an Indonesian soldier by OPM (Organisas

The Pacific Conference of Churches is calling on leaders attending a United Nations meeting on decolonisation this week in Fiji to advocate for West Papua to be added to the UN list of

The West Papua Coalition for Liberation says the new Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman will continue the good work of his predecessor in supporting the West Papuan self-determination c

The Australia West Papua Association in Sydney has written an open letter (below) to the PIF leaders asking that they discuss the issue of West Papua and the ongoing human rights abuses

Jayapura – Operations by the Indonesian military to capture rebels near the border with Papua New Guinea last week scared residents in Vanimo, said PNG opposition leader BeldeNamah.

The Free West Papua Campaign says West Papuan refugees living in Vanimo in Papua New Guinea fear they will be killed in revenge for the armed clashes on the Wutung border post.

Banjir Ambarita, Jayapura – An Indonesian soldier suffered minor injuries during a firefight between police and members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) on the border of the restive Ind

Jayapura – Vanuatu Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosis said his remarks highlighting human rights abuses in West Papua at the UN Human Rights Council's 25th session have won praise f