United Nations Forum on Minority Issues: “Minorities in situations of humanitarian crises” Ninth Session 24-25 November 2016, Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland By: Simon P. Sapioper Thank you Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, As a member of the Organisasi Papua Merdeka, the Nationaal Papoea Vereniging ’95 West Nieuw Guinea would like to draw attention to two challenges that are undermining the rights of West Papuans, namely media restrictions faced by journalists and the situation faced by West Papuan refugees. Mr. Chairman, Because of the constant increase of Indonesian migrants to West Papua, indigenous West Papuans risk of being outnumbered by the Indonesian population, and of losing their economic, social and cultural identity. More issues that Papuan people are facing are poor living conditions and not enough access to education and health care. Journalists who like to raise awareness on these problems are limited in their freedom of expression. Fear of violence and harassment by public officials often cause local journalists to hide their political views. Also foreign journalists are subject to media restrictions by the Indonesian government, even though the 50-year ban on foreign media was lifted last year. The result of these restricted media access is that the international community, including those who promote the human rights of the West Papuan people, are not enough aware of the issues faced by Papuan people.