CoveragePost
July 1, 2025
Asia Pacific Report The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as the new chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to “uphold justice, stability and security” for Kanaky New Caledonia and West Papua. In a statement today after last week’s MSG leaders’ summit in Suva, the ... <a title="Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/07/01/fiji-human-rights-coalition-challenges-rabuka-over-decolonisation-unfinished-business/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji human rights coalition challenges Rabuka over decolonisation ‘unfinished business’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 26, 2025
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan independence movement leader has warned the Melanesian Spearhead Group after its 23rd leaders summit in Suva, Fiji, to not give in to a “neocolonial trade in betrayal and abandonment” over West Papua. While endorsing and acknowledging the “unconditional support” of Melanesian people to the West Papuan cause for decolonisation, ... <a title="‘Don’t surrender’ to Indonesian pressure over West Papua, Bomanak warns MSG" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/26/dont-surrender-to-indonesian-pressure-over-west-papua-bomanak-warns-msg/" aria-label="Read more about ‘Don’t surrender’ to Indonesian pressure over West Papua, Bomanak warns MSG">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 25, 2025
RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the Middle East conflict was one of the discussions of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in Suva this week — and Pacific leaders “took note of what is happening”. The Post-Courier reports Marape saying the “12 Day War” between Israel and Iran was based on ... <a title="Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders discuss Middle East conflict before ceasefire" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/25/melanesian-spearhead-group-leaders-discuss-middle-east-conflict-before-ceasefire/" aria-label="Read more about Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders discuss Middle East conflict before ceasefire">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 25, 2025
Asia Pacific Report A Fiji-based advocacy group has condemned the participation of Indonesia in the Melanesian Spearhead Group which is meeting in Suva this week, saying it is a “profound disgrace” that the Indonesian Embassy continues to “operate freely” within the the MSG Secretariat. “This presence blatantly undermines the core principles of justice and solidarity ... <a title="Fiji advocacy group slams Indonesian role in MSG as a ‘disgrace’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/25/fiji-advocacy-group-slams-indonesian-role-in-msg-as-a-disgrace/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji advocacy group slams Indonesian role in MSG as a ‘disgrace’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 23, 2025
By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent Two international organisations are leading a call for the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to elevate the membership status of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) at their upcoming summit in Honiara in September. The collective, led by International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) and International Lawyers ... <a title="Pro-independence advocates urge MSG to elevate West Papua membership" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/23/pro-independence-advocates-urge-msg-to-elevate-west-papua-membership/" aria-label="Read more about Pro-independence advocates urge MSG to elevate West Papua membership">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 11, 2025
ANALYSIS: By Ali Mirin On April 24, 2025, Indonesia made a masterful geopolitical move. Jakarta granted Fiji US$6 million in financial aid and offered to cooperate with them on military training — a seemingly benign act of diplomacy that conceals a darker purpose. This strategic manoeuvre is the latest in Indonesia’s efforts to neutralise Pacific ... <a title="Indonesia’s Pacific manoeuvres – money, military, and silencing West Papua" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/11/indonesias-pacific-manoeuvres-money-military-and-silencing-west-papua/" aria-label="Read more about Indonesia’s Pacific manoeuvres – money, military, and silencing West Papua">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 22, 2025
By Leah Lowonbu, Stefan Armbruster and Harlyne Joku of BenarNews The Pacific’s peak diplomatic bodies have signalled they are ready to engage with Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Government of Bougainville as mediation begins on the delayed ratification of its successful 2019 independence referendum. PNG and Bougainville’s leaders met in the capital Port Moresby this week ... <a title="Top Pacific diplomats ready for direct talks on Bougainville independence" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/03/22/top-pacific-diplomats-ready-for-direct-talks-on-bougainville-independence/" aria-label="Read more about Top Pacific diplomats ready for direct talks on Bougainville independence">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 6, 2024
Asia Pacific Report An exiled West Papuan leader has praised Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape for his “brave ambush” in questioning new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto over West Papua. Prabowo offered an “amnesty” for West Papuan pro-independence activists during Marape’s revent meeting with Prabowo on the fringes of the inauguration, the PNG leader ... <a title="Wenda praises PNG’s Marape over ‘brave ambush’ on West Papua" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/11/06/wenda-praises-pngs-marape-over-brave-ambush-on-west-papua/" aria-label="Read more about Wenda praises PNG’s Marape over ‘brave ambush’ on West Papua">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
October 29, 2024
Asia Pacific Report An exiled West Papuan leader has praised Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape for his “brave ambush” in questioning new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto over West Papua. Prabowo offered an “amnesty” for West Papuan pro-independence activists during Marape’s revent meeting with Prabowo on the fringes of the inauguration, the PNG leader ... <a title="Wenda praises PNG’s Marape over ‘brave ambush’ over West Papua" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/10/29/wenda-praises-pngs-marape-over-brave-ambush-over-west-papua/" aria-label="Read more about Wenda praises PNG’s Marape over ‘brave ambush’ over West Papua">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
September 17, 2024
COMMENTARY: By Laurens Ikinia in Jakarta The Land of Papua is widely known as a land full of milk and honey. It is a name widely known in Indonesia that refers to the western half of the island of New Guinea. Its natural wealth and beauty are special treasures entrusted by the Creator to the ... <a title="Papuan aspirations at stake in divided Melanesian Spearhead Group politics" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/09/17/papuan-aspirations-at-stake-in-divided-melanesian-spearhead-group-politics/" aria-label="Read more about Papuan aspirations at stake in divided Melanesian Spearhead Group politics">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 14, 2024
By Lice Movono and Stephen Dziedzic of ABC Pacific Beat Fiji’s Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, says he will “apologise” to fellow Melanesian leaders later this month after failing to secure agreement from Indonesia to visit its restive West Papua province. At last year’s Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting in Cook Islands, the Melanesian Spearhead ... <a title="Fiji’s Rabuka ‘will apologise’ to Melanesian leaders over failure to visit West Papua" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/08/14/fijis-rabuka-will-apologise-to-melanesian-leaders-over-failure-to-visit-west-papua/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji’s Rabuka ‘will apologise’ to Melanesian leaders over failure to visit West Papua">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 9, 2024
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/Bulletin editor France has approved a high-level Pacific “fact-finding mission” to New Caledonia to gather information from all sides involved in the ongoing crisis. “We are welcoming a mission of the troika for a fact-finding mission in New Caledonia before the [Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting],” the French Ambassador to ... <a title="Macron gives Pacific mission to Kanaky New Caledonia green light, says diplomat" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/08/09/macron-gives-pacific-mission-to-kanaky-new-caledonia-green-light-says-diplomat/" aria-label="Read more about Macron gives Pacific mission to Kanaky New Caledonia green light, says diplomat">Read more</a>
