Prime Minister Hon. James Marape says his government will not remain silent on human rights concerns affecting Melanesians, including the people of West Papua,  and has consistently raised these matters with Indonesia.

Mr Marape said PNG’s foreign policy “is not being overshadowed or manipulated by Indonesia” and that concerns over alleged human rights abuses in West Papua have been communicated in multiple bilateral and regional meetings over the years.

He made the remarks in Parliament in response to questions from North Fly MP Hon. James Donald, who asked why the government was quick to comment on conflicts abroad but had not taken stronger public positions on West Papua, despite reports of killings, displacement and refugees crossing into PNG’s Western and East West Sepik provinces that share common land border with Indonesia’s West Papua region.

Mr Donald said more than 15,000 West Papuan refugees have entered PNG over the years, describing the situation as breaches of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and international law. He questioned whether PNG’s “silence” could be interpreted as fear or submission to Jakarta.

Prime Minister Marape Rejects Claims PNG Is Afraid to Speak

PM Marape firmly rejected suggestions that PNG was outsourcing its foreign policy to Indonesia or reluctant to raise West Papua issues.

“There is no element of fear on our part,” he said.

Marape reflected on spending part of his childhood in the Telefomin area and in refugee camps, saying he personally understood the West Papuan struggle.

“When it comes to Melanesian human rights, James Marape or a Pangu-led government — or anyone for that matter — will always advocate for Melanesian human rights,” he said.

He stressed that PNG’s respect for Indonesia’s national sovereignty is separate from its duty to raise human rights matters.

“Sovereignty issues are different from human rights issues. We respect the full sovereign integrity of the Republic of Indonesia. But if atrocities happen in West Papua, we have every right to speak,” he said.

PNG Consistently Raises West Papua Concerns

Mr Marape said PNG had communicated its concerns at all major forums — the  United  Nations, the  Pacific  Islands  Forum,  the  Melanesian  Spearhead Group, and in private bilateral meetings.

He noted that both former Indonesian President Joko Widodo and current Pres- ident Prabowo Subianto had been briefed directly by PNG on Melanesian hu- man rights matters.

“In all diplomatic channels — whether at the United Nations, at PIF, through the MSG, or in bilateral meetings — human rights issues affecting Melanesian people are always relayed,” he said.

Marape said President Prabowo had assured him that human rights concerns “would be looked at”.

He added that PNG played a significant role in shaping the Pacific Islands Forum resolution on West Papua during the 2019 leaders’ meeting, which called for Indonesia to allow the UN Human Rights Commissioner access to the region.

Government Policy Remains Unchanged Since Independence

Marape emphasised that PNG’s foreign policy on Indonesia has remained consistent since 1975.

“We have maintained the same policy since Independence — respecting Indonesia’s sovereignty while raising concerns about human rights on the other side,” he said.

He assured Parliament that human rights issues in West Papua are “never ignored” and said PNG will continue to advocate respectfully but firmly.