Post Press – Page 4 – Papua Merdeka News

By Indonesia correspondent George Roberts

ABC News, Posted 12 May 2015, 3:55pm

Foreign journalists will still need permits to report from Papuan provinces, according to Indonesia’s chief security minister, despite president Joko Widodo’s claims the region is now unrestricted.

Mr Widodo announced last weekend that foreign media were free to report from the provinces of Papua and West Papua.

However, his co-ordinating minister for politics, law and security, Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, said journalists would still need permits and be subjected to “screening”.

He told government-owned newswire Antara the requirements were to stop the government being blamed if journalists went into “forbidden areas”.

There are reportedly other preconditions, including that reporters are not allowed to do anything to “discredit” Indonesia.

Earlier this week, Mr Widodo announced he had lifted the restrictions that previously prevented foreign journalists from travelling to the country’s restive Papuan provinces.

Independence activists in Papua and West Papua often clash with Indonesian military, but the country is determined to hold onto the resource-rich area and had largely blocked foreign media from covering the region.

Last year, two French journalists were arrested in Papua province for reporting while on tourist visas and spent months in detention before being sent back to France

PM on West Papua

Hon Manasseh. D. Sogavare MP and Octovianus Motte

I hereby make this official announcement on behalf of the Sovereign State of Solomon Islands on the application by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for Membership of the Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG).

The Cabinet, in exercising its decision-making mandate on behalf of the people of Solomon Islands, agreed that:

Solomon Islands Government will vote to bring the ULMWP into the MSG on Observer Status.
Solomon Islands Government will encourage MSG to continue to explore avenues for Indonesia in its interest to be an Associated Member within the guidelines approved by Leaders in 2012.
Solomon Islands Government will engage with all MSG stakeholders in communicating the above positions.

The above mentioned positions had been made in light of the need to enhance Melanesian solidarity, values, continuity and maintain good neighbourliness.

Geopolitics and international commerce aside, these resolutions are founded on Christian principles which form the bedrock of our National Constitution. They also recognise the need to create international space for Melanesians seeking the inalienable rights and freedoms they sought to achieve through peaceful co-existence.

Hon Manasseh. D. Sogavare MP