The Australia West Papua Association is calling on Pacific Islands Forum leaders to address the human rights situation in Indonesia’s Papuan provinces.

Its call comes in the lead up to the 46th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Summit to be held in Papua New Guinea in September.

The group says Indonesia’s security forces used excessive and often lethal force on peaceful protesters in West Papua on numerous occasions in 2014 resulting in at least four deaths.

The association is urging the leaders at the summit to discuss the human rights situation in West Papua and seek Indonesia’s approval for a Forum fact finding mission to West Papua.

It is also calling for the release of all West Papuan political prisoners and the granting of observer status to genuine representatives of the Melanesian people of West Papua.

Source: PIF urged to discuss rights abuse in West Papua | Radio New Zealand News