The Wire

The arrival in Australia of 43 refugees from West Papua catapulted the troubled Indonesian province – and what to do about it – into the spotlight in 2006. But less is known about how West Papuans fair in other countries. Papua New Guinea over the years has given refuge to many West Papuans – several thousand now call that country home. But a new dispute has erupted concerning one group of refugees living in a settlement called 8 mile, just outside the capital of Port Moresby. While they have been there for two decades, the landowner now wants to redevelop the land – and is going about the process of evicting the 500 residents.