Monday, May 4, 2015

1) AUDIO: PMW's Alistar Kata talks media freedom in West Papua

2) Provincial Government To Watch Tourists Who Visit Korowai
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1) AUDIO: PMW's Alistar Kata talks media freedom in West Papua


Alistar Kata speaking to 95bFM's Nick Bond on the state of freedom of the press in West Papua. Image: PMC
Monday, May 4, 2015
Item: 9256
AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): The topic of discussion today on 95bFM's Southern Cross programme was on the state of media freedom in West Papua.
Coinciding with World Press Freedom Day on Sunday, there has recently been aninternational call for a much greater freedom of the press in West Papua.
Pacific Media Watch's Alistar Kata said there is "no access at all" for international journalists to report in the region and only some reporters were gaining entrance through tourist visas.
But there has been an influx of support against the human rights' abuses of Indonesian authorities on social media sites, which Kata said leaders and politicians around the region were "noticing".
"They feel obliged to speak up about it, so we are seeing the tides changing to where there is support from neighbouring countries," she said.
The most recent support for the Indonesian territory has come from Papua New Guinea's (PNG) prime minister Peter O'Neill encouraging other Melanesian countries to speak out about the "oppression" of the Papuan people.
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2) Provincial Government To Watch Tourists Who Visit Korowai
“We do not know what tourists’ intention while they all are free to visit Papua. We can’t restrict them, so supervision needs to be improved,” the head of Social Services and Isolated Community in Papua Rebekah Haluk said in Jayapura last week.
She said the purposes of their visits need to be clarified, including whether they are just there for sightseeing, missionary work or research. So far the government has been unable to take any action against foreigners who have tourist visas.
“Maybe the purpose of the visit is to do research. As long as foreigners have tourist visas, we can’t do anything,” she stated.
She added, the department led by her has a development program for isolated tribes, including the Korowais who have a unique culture because they live in trees.
Therefore, the government does not want any negative stigma when there are still people like the Korowaia.
She then added it still supports the development of an area into a tourist attraction including Korowai tribe.

Earlier, the Director of the Papua Adventure Tour and Travel, Gantang reported that every month there are about 50 tourists visiting Korawai tribe. (*)

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