David Robie talks to Te Waha Nui’s Monique McKenzie about the new book.

Pacific Scoop:
News review – By Patrick Craddock in Suva

Don’t Spoil My Beautiful Face: Media, Mayhem and Human Rights in the Pacific is being published today while Fiji is voicing the mantra of the “free press” at the same time as it continues to ban experienced Pacific reporters such as Barbara Dreaver and Michael Field from New Zealand and Sean Dorney of the ABC.

Ashwin Raj, chairman of the new Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) is haranguing journalists at public media meetings using expressions such as “…the complicity of select Fijian journalists and media either wittingly or those that remain oblivious to the laws of Fiji…”

The same MIDA that is so upset with Sean Dorney’s mild comment that “there was a feeling in the room anyway that the situation in Fiji wasn’t as free and open for the media as it should be” is also asking for “an ethos of robust debate”. Read more »

Papuan student Alfares Kapissa … detained and beaten in police custody for 36 hours. Image: New Matilda

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Ronny Kareni for New Matilda

The brutal repression of West Papuan student protests last week is indicative of Indonesia’s approach to the region.

Wednesday 2 April marked a global day of action to call for the immediate and unconditional release of the 77 Papuan and Malukan political prisoners currently being held in Indonesian prisons. Protests were staged simultaneously in Melbourne, London, The Hague, Auckland, Wellington, Edinburgh and Jayapura,

The protest in the West Papuan capital Jayapura, at Cenderawasih University, was interrupted by armed police with four Dalmas trucks (a kind of troop carrier), two mobile brigade trucks and one police van. Read more »

A West Papuan in handcuffs at last night’s “Free West Papuans” rally in Auckland. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch

Protesters have taken to the streets and the gates of Indonesian embassies in West Papua, Australia and New Zealand as part of a global day of action to free West Papuan prisoners.

At least five protests took place today on the global day. Indigenous Papuans and Malukans continue to be arrested for peaceful activities such as raising the Papuan Morning Star flag or attending demonstrations and public events that express dissent.

A group of protesters supporting the call for the release of political prisoners staged a mock “imprisonment” vigil in Auckland’s Aotea Square last night with some West Papuans wearing handcuffs. Read more »

Vanuatu’s Barak Sope … speaking out for West Papuans. Image: PiPP

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch

Two leaders of the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation have been warned that they face assassination by the Indonesian military, say media reports.

As a result, the WPNCL’s Vanuatu head of mission Andy Ayamiseba, and its vice chairman, Dr John Otto Ondawame, may have to remain in exile in Port Vila, Radio New Zealand International reported.

Vanuatu Post journalist Len Garae wrote yesterday that his newspaper had received an invitation from two West Papuans (Franz Albert Joku and Nicholas Simion Messet) who work for Indonesia, inviting Ayamiseba and Dr Ondawame home on the grounds that ” times are changing in West Papua for the better”. Read more »

A scene from an Indonesian crackdown at the Gempar rally rejecting Otsus Plus in Jayapura. Image: West Papua Media

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch

There are at least 76 political prisoners in West Papuan jails, a new report from Papuans Behind Bars has revealed.

At least 22 of the prisoners were arrested last month during military incursions into Sasawa village in Yapen island, and in the days following the raids.

“Residents of the surrounding villages of Kamanap and Kanawa were reportedly beaten, tortured and given death threats by security forces,” says the Papuans Behind Bars report. Read more »

Vanuatu Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil speaking at the United Nations. Image: UN

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By PMC news desk

Vanuatu Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil has condemned the international community’s “neglect” of the voices of the Papuan people in protest over the repression by Indonesia for four decades.

Addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council, he said his country was seeking to “amplify the concerns for human rights” in
the West Papua region.

“We are very concerned indeed about the manner in which the international community has neglected the voices of the Papuan people, whose human rights have been trampled upon and severely suppressed since 1969,” he said. Read more »

The video of Indonesian repression shown by Pax Christi’s Kevin McBride during his NFIP presentation at AUT University on Saturday while criticising New Zealand police aid. Source: West Papuan witnesses video

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Anna Majavu

Fresh calls have been made for the New Zealand government to end its three-year, $6.34 million project training Indonesian police who are involved in the military occupation and repression of the West Papua region.

The government’s police training programme was slated by Pacific and local community leaders and activists at a conference held at AUT University on Saturday to commemorate international Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) day.

Chilling footage was screened showing Indonesian police invading a peaceful meeting of West Papuans, opening fire and then kicking and beating West Papuans while they were being forced to crawl along the ground. The footage has been handed over to local television stations. Read more »

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Shireen Lata in Suva

A former broadcast journalism lecturer and media centre broadcaster of the University of the South Pacific, New Zealander Patrick Craddock, is returning to Suva to take up the journalism coordinator’s post.

Craddock replaces Australian Dr Ian Weber who resigned suddenly last week.

Craddock has worked for nearly 20 years in different countries in Africa and the Pacific teaching radio journalism, writing scripts and producing radio drama for adult education. Read more »

The Big Gossan training facility at Freeport’s Grasberg mine collapsed on May 14 last year, trapping 38 workers inside a tunnel during a safety course. Image: Minipur Update

Pacific Scoop:
Report – Special correspondent

Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has found serious human rights violations in the Freeport Big Gossan tunnel cave-in tragedy in the West Papua region that claimed the lives of 28 workers and injured 10 others.

“PT Freeport had the ability to prevent this from happening but didn’t,” Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Pigai said as quoted by kompas.com

“The lack of effort jeopardised the lives of others. The gravity of this case is serious.” Read more »

The banned Morning Star flag … symbol of West Papuan independence. Image: Amnesty International

Pacific Scoop:
Backgrounder – By a special correspondent

On Tuesday, 26 November 2013, early in the afternoon, a peaceful demonstration was held to mark the opening of the OPM (Free Papua Movement) office and to welcome a campaign to taking place in Port Moresby, thee capital of Papua New Guinea, from November 25 until December 1.

The demonstration in Jayapura was organised by the KNPB – National Committee of West Papua. Those taking part gathered in Expo Waena but as they were marching  they were blocked by the police who said they has no permission.

However, four days earlier, the co-ordinator of the action, Rocky Medlama had sent notification of the action to the police but they did not acknowledge receipt of the letter, which is what the police often do to deny Papuans the right to freedom of expression. Instead they responded by using violence to remove people  in violation of the law. Read more »