Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

West Papua: journalists beware

Posted at 01:41 on 17 October, 2011 UTC

A new report has found Indonesia’s West Papua region is the most dangerous place for a journalist to visit in the Pacific.

The study by the Pacific Media Centre at Auckland’s University of Technology began in July last year and examined media freedom in the countries of the Pacific Islands Forum, East Timoras well as the French Pacific territories and West Papua.

The Centre’s Director David Robie says West Papua has the worst environment for journalists.

“Things came to a head in West Papua particularly in August with a number of demonstrations and Indonesian security forces clamping down on the civil rights of the West Papuans - particularly [there’s] been a lot of difficulty with the media. Two journalists being killed, five either being abducted or attempted abductions and another 18 or so being attacked.”

The co-editor of the Pacific Media Freedom report David Robie.