Jakarta – A widely publicized conference aimed at seeking peace in Papua concluded on Thursday that the best way to seek long-term resolutions to problems faced by Papuans – ranging from human rights abuses to exploitation of natural resources – was to engage in an open dialog with central government officials in Jakarta.

At least five primary points have been set as prerequisites in order to be selected as mediators for the Jakarta-Papua talks, none of which have been openly publicized thus far.

The three-day Papua Peace Conference held in Jayapura saw 1,000 participants in attendance, including prominent government officials. Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Djoko Suyanto spoke on the first day of the conference, pointing out that "existing problems have to be resolved peacefully, through constructive communication."

The conference was spearheaded by the Papua Peace Network (PPN), an informal group of Papuan leaders advocating peaceful dialog.

In a PPN press statement received by Tempo, it was stated that a Declaration had been adopted by the conference's participants. This declaration specified that talks with Jakarta would comprise of the primary challenges Papuans faced – security, law and human rights, and the environment.

The conference's co-chair, Father Neles Tebay, called on the "people of Papua in Indonesia and abroad," including the migrants, the local administration and the private sector, the Papua Freedom Organisation (OPM) and the National Liberation Army (TPN) and the central government to find solutions for the various problems in Papua.

Neles Tebay said in his concluding remarks that "For too long Papua have had to live a miserable life. We carried the burden of many problems for such a long time and many of these problems haven't been solved." "Therefore, we should be the ones to help Papua."