Calls are growing for Australia's immigration department to grant immediate protection visas to 43 Papuan asylum seekers who arrived in far north Australia last week. The group is now being held on Christmas Island, many of them at one of Australia's offshore immigration detention centres. Supporters of Papua's independence movement say the group fled their homeland because of human rights abuses by the Indonesian military.

Presenter/Interviewer: Emily Bourke

Speakers: Papuan activist Jacob Rumbiak, from the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation.

Bourke: The asylum seekers – 36 adults and seven children – claimed the Indonesian military was carrying out intimidation and genocide in Papua.

Within days of their arrival and transfer to immigration detention, a deadly clash occurred between the Indonesian military and a group of protesters in a village in Papua.

Some reports say up to four young Papuans were killed in the clash. The Australian government has asked Indonesia to clarify the reports.

And while the Indonesian government has agreed to investigate the matter, the Australian government says it will reiterate to Indonesia its long standing policy that any differences between Indonesia and the people of Papua be resolved peacefully, within Indonesian law, and with respect to human rights.

Australia remains confident its diplomatic ties with Indonesia won't influence the case.

But Jacob Rumbiak from the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation, says Australia with its focus on regional security, is well placed to pursue Indonesia over the issue.

Rumbiak: "Each country has a responsibility to protect humans. In West Papua human rights abuses and genocide have been done by the government and military of Indonesia so I think Australia has a responsibility to put pressure on Indonesia because training the military money and training facilities in Indonesia is supported by Australia."

Bourke: Mr Rumbiak argues the group has a strong case for asylum and that Australia has an historic and moral obligation to assist the Papuans.

Rumbiak: Australia should remember that West Papua has given three gifts to Australia and American allies. When the Pacific war was on in the 1940s, Australia stood with West Papua. During the Cold War in the 1960s, West Papua was sacrificed by America and Australia to transfer West Papua to Indonesia. And thirdly Rio Tinto and BHP also operate in Papua to exploit resources. Now West Papua questions what Australia and America give to us, to Papua.

Bourke: Activists say the Indonesian government has doubled its military presence in Papua to more than 25-thousand members and that the Indonesian military is "dressed for war". Jacob Rumbiak from the West Papua Coalition says it's now time for a third and independent party to intervene.

Rumbiak: Papua is a land of peace and justice we want to talk with Jakarta in a peaceful way and we hope the international people will come and be a third party to West Papua and to talk peace.

Bourke: Do you think it's possible to talk peace and still pursue a case for independence?

Rumbiak: I believe it can become reality, if the world is involved in this, especially those involved in the transfer of West Papua to Indonesia, the UN, the US, Holland and Australia. If foreign countries are involved in this and come together I believe that the independent rights of Papua can be solved by peaceful means but if one or another ignore I think it will create suffering for the Papuan people for a long and long time.