CIVIL society advocates have called on Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders to address the issue of West Papua when they meet in Honiara this week.
An open letter said the region had issued several communiqués about human rights abuses by Indonesia in the annexed territory, but a new approach was needed.
“It is timely to recall that for nearly two decades, Pacific communiqués have raised concerns about West Papua. With the 2025 PIF Leaders’ Meeting approaching, West Papuan and Pacific CSOs are now urging leaders and CROP agencies to turn words into action,” civil society organisations from across the Pacific and West Papua said.
The letter highlighted escalating the humanitarian and human-rights crisis, marked by widespread intimidation, service disruptions, and displacement now exceeding 100,000 people.
The organisations—among the Pacific Conference of Churches, the Pacific Network on Globalisation, Papuan faith groups and media organisations—stressed that this was not a distant issue, but a Pacific responsibility.
Key recommendations in the letter were:
- Independent scrutiny – Re-issue a time-bound invitation for an OHCHR visit; proceed with a PIF fact-finding mission reporting to the 2026 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting; and support a civil-society-led “People’s Mission” to ensure West Papuan voices are heard.
- Needs-based humanitarian response – Activate neutral mechanisms to deliver aid and protection to displaced communities, including those seeking refuge in PNG, while resourcing and safeguarding local responders.
- Mediation and IHL – Use regional good offices and multi-track, women-led mediation to encourage a monitored ceasefire and uphold civilian protections under the Geneva Conventions, ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access.
Each Pacific delegation will be given a copy of the letter.
Pacific Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on incoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Chair and Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele, to honour past commitments on West Papua.
In an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Manele, PIF leaders, Secretary-General Baron Waqa, CROP agencies, and United Nations human rights bodies, the CSOs urged Indonesia to demonstrate accountability by granting “immediate and unrestricted access” to West Papua for independent observers, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“From the 31st Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in Tarawa in 2000, to the 50th Forum in Tuvalu in 2019, and across MSG Summits from 2014 to 2025, Pacific leaders have consistently adopted resolutions expressing grave concern over the escalating crisis in West Papua,” the letter stated.
CSOs noted that Forum communiqués have repeatedly acknowledged the root causes of conflict, ongoing state violence, and deteriorating human rights conditions in the territory. They reminded leaders that commitments had been made to send a fact-finding mission and to engage Indonesia in meaningful dialogue.
“One of the region’s clearest and most consistent calls has been for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to be granted unimpeded access to West Papua, a call echoed again at the 2023 MSG Summit,” the CSOs said.
In support of this, Fiji and Papua New Guinea Prime Ministers were appointed as Special Envoys to engage Indonesia.
But their mandate expired in November 2023 without results, and neither has visited West Papua.
The CSOs also warned that while Indonesia has deepened ties with the region—through MSG associate membership, PIF dialogue partner status, and bilateral agreements—Pacific leaders must use these relationships to assert moral authority rather than shy away from the issue.
“The 2024 Forum Communique merely noted the envoys’ report from their visit to Jakarta. This muted response, while a resurgent humanitarian crisis deepens, sends a troubling message to those on the ground: their suffering is being acknowledged, but not acted upon,” the letter said.
Describing West Papua as a “Pacific crisis” and part of the “soul of the region,” the CSOs accused leaders of showing insufficient urgency and solidarity.
“How can we claim a vision of a peaceful, people-centred Blue Pacific while turning away from the crisis of our own people in pain? Now is the time for courage, for unity, for decisive leadership,” they said.
PIF Secretary-General Waqa confirmed that leaders will discuss the issue this week, describing it as a “very important and sensitive matter” requiring careful attention.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The director of the 2025 Pestapora Music Festival, Rizky Aulia or Kiki Ucup, has apologized and admitted that their team was negligent in partnering with PT Freeport Indonesia. "We are fully aware of our negligence in working with PT Freeport Indonesia," he said in a video posted on Instagram @pestapora on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
After sparking discussions among netizens, Kiki Ucup stated that they have terminated the partnership with PT Freeport Indonesia and will not accept any funding from them. "We also ensure that there will be no presence of PT Freeport Indonesia in the implementation of Pestapora 2025," he added.
Regarding the impact of numerous bands or musicians canceling their performances at the event, Kiki Ucup mentioned that Pestapora will continue as planned.
It is known that several bands have decided to cancel their appearances at Pestapora 2025, suspecting the involvement of PT Freeport Indonesia in the country's largest music festival.
Among the bands that have canceled their performances are Sukatani, Efek Rumah Kaca (ERK), The Jeblogs, Negativa, Leipzig, Kelelawar Malam, Rebellion Rose, Rekah, Xin Lie, Ornament, and Centra. These bands announced their cancellations almost simultaneously on their official social media accounts.
For example, the band Efek Rumah Kaca officially announced the cancellation of their performance on the third day of Pestapora 2025, Sunday, September 7, 2025. "We apologize to the audience who have purchased tickets and were looking forward to our performance," ERK stated on their official Instagram @sebelahmata_erk.
ERK also apologized for the negligence in the thorough testing process conducted by their management. ERK had initially performed on the first day of Pestapora on Friday, September 5, 2025.
ERK also hopes that such incidents will not occur again, considering that the impact of the partnership with PT Freeport Indonesia will not simply disappear. "Therefore, we choose to withdraw because it does not align with the values we uphold," they wrote.
Similarly, the band Sukatani also issued a statement to cancel their performance at Pestapora 2025, which was officially announced on their Instagram. "We have decided not to perform at Pestapora 2025. See you on another occasion. Thank you," wrote the band Sukatani.
Eka Yudha Saputra contributed to the writing of this article.
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