CoveragePost
February 24, 2023
By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific digital and social media journalist, and Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is the first Fijian leader in 16 years to hold a one-on-one meeting with the president of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), while also confirming his government will support the independence ... <a title="Rabuka backs call for West Papuan independence group to fully join MSG" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/24/rabuka-backs-call-for-west-papuan-independence-group-to-fully-join-msg/" aria-label="Read more about Rabuka backs call for West Papuan independence group to fully join MSG">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 24, 2023
RNZ Pacific Indonesian security forces were about to launch a rescue operation for a pilot held hostage in Papua before New Zealand intervened, reports ABC News. The ABC quoted Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Mahfud Mahmodin, as saying his forces knew the exact location of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, who was ... <a title="NZ government ‘intervened’ to stop operation to save pilot, says Jakarta" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/24/nz-government-intervened-to-stop-operation-to-save-pilot-says-jakarta/" aria-label="Read more about NZ government ‘intervened’ to stop operation to save pilot, says Jakarta">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 23, 2023
By Felix Chaudhary in Suva Recognising Indonesia’s sovereignty is one thing. However, failing to allow West Papuans a seat at regional discussion tables like the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Melanesian Spearhead Group to address human rights atrocities, torture and killing at the hands of Indonesian security forces is not the Pacific way. United Liberation ... <a title="Wenda hopes to get plight of West Papuan people to PIF ‘beyond rhetoric’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/23/wenda-hopes-to-get-plight-of-west-papuan-people-to-pif-beyond-rhetoric/" aria-label="Read more about Wenda hopes to get plight of West Papuan people to PIF ‘beyond rhetoric’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 13, 2023
ANALYSIS: By Camellia Webb-Gannon, University of Wollongong “Phil Mehrtens is the nicest guy, he genuinely is — no one ever had anything bad to say about him,” says a colleague of the New Zealand pilot taken hostage last week by members of the West Papuan National Liberation Army (TPN-PB) in the mountainous Nduga Regency. How ... <a title="Why a NZ pilot is a pawn in the West Papua conflict that the world ignores" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/13/why-a-nz-pilot-is-a-pawn-in-the-west-papua-conflict-that-the-world-ignores/" aria-label="Read more about Why a NZ pilot is a pawn in the West Papua conflict that the world ignores">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 7, 2023
RNZ News New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has described today’s Waitangi Day dawn service as moving and says he welcomes the shift away from a focus on politics. Hundreds of people gathered before dawn to commemorate 183 years since Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed. Hipkins said the national day had a greater focus ... <a title="Prime Minister Hipkins welcomes less politics, more commemoration on Waitangi Day" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/07/prime-minister-hipkins-welcomes-less-politics-more-commemoration-on-waitangi-day/" aria-label="Read more about Prime Minister Hipkins welcomes less politics, more commemoration on Waitangi Day">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 6, 2023
COMMENTARY: By Richard Naidu in Suva Five weeks on from Christmas Eve, I think most of us are still a bit stunned at what has happened in Fiji. A new government came to power in dramatic circumstances. It took not one but two Sodelpa management board meetings to change it, with razor-thin margins. The same ... <a title="Richard Naidu: It’s your freedom – so speak up and step up" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/06/richard-naidu-its-your-freedom-so-speak-up-and-step-up/" aria-label="Read more about Richard Naidu: It’s your freedom – so speak up and step up">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 5, 2023
By David Robie When Papuan journalist Victor Mambor visited New Zealand almost nine years ago, he impressed student journalists from the Pacific Media Centre and community activists with his refreshing candour and courage. As the founder of the Jubi news media group, he remained defiant that he would tell the truth no matter what the ... <a title="Papuan journalist award-winner Victor Mambor targeted for his reports" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/05/papuan-journalist-award-winner-victor-mambor-targeted-for-his-reports/" aria-label="Read more about Papuan journalist award-winner Victor Mambor targeted for his reports">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 1, 2023
By Felix Chaudhary in Suva New Zealand-based Fijian academic Professor Steven Ratuva says that if the coalition government is strong, resilient and lasts, “this will reflect well as a future model for coalitions in Fiji”. “It’s a learning process for a new government and a new democracy and we expect teething problems in the beginning ... <a title="Future of Fiji’s democracy at stake over coalition, warns Ratuva" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/01/future-of-fijis-democracy-at-stake-over-coalition-warns-ratuva/" aria-label="Read more about Future of Fiji’s democracy at stake over coalition, warns Ratuva">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 30, 2023
RNZ Pacific New Caledonia’s pro-independence Union Calédonian has proposed September 24 this year as the date by which an accord be reached with France to complete decolonisation. The party, which wants independence for the territory by 2025, has chosen the date because it will mark the 170th anniversary of New Caledonia becoming a French colony ... <a title="Union Calédonian proposes historic September 24 date for ‘independence accord’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/01/30/union-caledonian-proposes-historic-september-24-date-for-independence-accord/" aria-label="Read more about Union Calédonian proposes historic September 24 date for ‘independence accord’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 24, 2023
By Len Garae in Port Vila West Papua independence campaigner Benny Wenda is in Vanuatu to meet Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau’s newly-installed government. Wenda said he would also “strategise” on the way forward towards gaining eventual sovereignty from Indonesia and would be discussing ongoing issues in West Papua. These include human rights abuses, and internal ... <a title="Wenda calls on Melanesian ‘Good Samaritans’ to help free West Papua" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/01/24/wenda-calls-on-melanesian-good-samaritans-to-help-free-west-papua/" aria-label="Read more about Wenda calls on Melanesian ‘Good Samaritans’ to help free West Papua">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 13, 2023
ANALYSIS: By Yamin Kogoya Following months of legal limbo and a health crisis, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe was arrested this week by the country’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in a dramatic move condemned by critics as a “kidnapping”. At noon on Tuesday, January 10, Governor Enembe was dining in a local restaurant near the headquarters ... <a title="Yamin Kogoya: Arrest of Papuan governor Enembe condemned as illegal Jakarta ‘kidnap’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/01/13/yamin-kogoya-arrest-of-papuan-governor-enembe-condemned-as-illegal-jakarta-kidnap/" aria-label="Read more about Yamin Kogoya: Arrest of Papuan governor Enembe condemned as illegal Jakarta ‘kidnap’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 11, 2023
RNZ Pacific An Australian-based French law professor says it is up to the French people as a whole, and not the voters in New Caledonia, to decide the territory’s future statute. Professor Eric Descheemaeker of the University of Melbourne’s Law School said New Caledonia’s three votes against full sovereignty mean that legally, the power to ... <a title="Up to French people to decide on New Caledonia’s future, says academic" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/01/11/up-to-french-people-to-decide-on-new-caledonias-future-says-academic/" aria-label="Read more about Up to French people to decide on New Caledonia’s future, says academic">Read more</a>
