Pacific leaders urged to discuss intimidation of Papuan activists
Leaders of Pacific Island countries, including Australia and New Zealand, should devote special attention to the plight of West Papuan human rights defenders at the annual meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum starting on 16 October in Tonga says TAPOL, the UK-based NGO that promotes human rights, peace and democracy in Indonesia. The level of intimidation against human rights defenders, political activists and religious leaders by Indonesian military and intelligence personnel has increased markedly since a visit to West Papua in June 2007 by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilani.