West Papua: Refugees in Western Province to Receive Papua New Guinea Citizenship
As part of a naturalization project, which is currently under way, Papua New Guinea’s Deputy Chief Migration Officer, Ms Esther Gaegamin, has stated that the 3,000 West Papuan refugees that were settled in camps in the Western Province have been registered with the government, since they meet the criteria for citizenship of Papua New Guinea.
Below is an article published by Radio New Zealand International:
Papua New Guinea's deputy chief migration officer says processes are underway to grant citizenship to about 3,000 West Papuan refugees.
Esther Gaegamin says there are about 3,000 West Papuan refugees in camps in the Western Province, near the Indonesian border, that have been registered with the government.
She says most of them are qualified for PNG citizenship and her office has commenced a registration and naturalisation project with them.
Ms Gaegamin told the newspaper, The National, that some of the West Papuans have been in PNG for decades and it's appropriate that they are given a home and legal rights.
Photo courtesy of RNZ / Koroi Hawkins
