Reporter: Jennifer Macey
Emma Alberici: Church leaders in Indonesia's Papua Province are reporting that 5,000 people have been driven from their villages by Indonesian security forces.
The clergymen say they're worried about the welfare of families who've been living in the remote central highlands for the past two weeks. The concerns come just as a new ad highlighting the issue of human rights in Papua airs on Australian television tonight. Jennifer Macey prepared this report.
Television Ad excerpt: I would love to be able to go home to a free West Papua. Australia, West Papua desperately needs your help.
Jennifer Macey: These TV ads sponsored by a coalition of human rights groups aim to put the issue of West Papuan independence back on the public agenda.
As the commercials go to air there are fresh reports from Papuan church groups that hundreds of families have fled their villages near Puncak Jaya in the centre of the province, following an Indonesian military build up in the area. Reverend Benny Giay, of the Kingmi Protestant church says Indonesian security forces have occupied about 20 villages.
Benny Giay: People from 20 villages, 20 churches, have fled, have left their villages behind and they have gone to the bush. People may lack food, drink and healthcare.
Jennifer Macey: A spokesman for the Indonesian embassy in Canberra says there has been no military build up in the area. But he says extra police had been sent to the region to apprehend some alleged murderers, and that that action has led to some of those alleged offenders fleeing into the hills.
Dr Clinton Fernandes from the University of New South Wales says he's heard reports that the military action followed a flag raising ceremony last month.
Clinton Fernandes: In a number of regions, a number of villages in the province of Papua, the Indonesian military has been attempting to conduct counter-insurgency operations against presumed separatists. The problem is as the United States State Department itself pointed out, that it classifies anyone it is targeting for any reason whatsoever as a separatist.
Jennifer Macey: Dr Fernandes says these reports highlight the need for Australia to send independent human rights monitors to Papua province. He supports the new advertising campaign.
Television Ad excerpt: John Howard, please add human rights monitoring for West Papua into Australia's new treaty with Indonesia.
Jennifer Macey: Late last year, Australia signed a security agreement with Indonesia called the Lombok Treaty. Both countries agreed to respect the other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The treaty was hailed for improving diplomatic relations, strained after Australia accepted 43 Papuan asylum seekers. The former New South Wales Supreme Court Justice, John Dowd, says the treaty is designed to appease Indonesia.
John Dowd: And even though we're going to be under the treaty, assisting Indonesia, arming it against no known enemy, we won't have the right to criticise.
Jennifer Macey: The Lombok Treaty has not yet been ratified by the Australian Government. A parliamentary committee will first examine the treaty and report to the Government by April.
Emma Alberici: Jennifer Macey.