16 Mar 2018

West Papuans show solidarity for PNG quake victims

4:44 pm on 16 March 2018

West Papuans have held an event in Indonesia's Papua province to express condolence towards earthquake victims in Papua New Guinea.

Tabloid Jubi reports that the group West Papua Solidarity lit a thousand candles in Abepura in Papua's provincial capital Jayapura City.

125 people were killed and some 35,000 people displaced in PNG's Highlands region after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake on February 26th.

The quake was also felt in parts of Papua in neighbouring Indonesia.

According to the Bureau Chief of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Sem Awom, local people wanted to publicly demonstrate their support for victims of the quake.

The Movement has also announced a fund-raising campaign aimed at helping PNG communities in need after the disaster.

West Papua Solidarity's Secretary Kristianus Dogopia said fund raising efforts would continue until the end of the month.

"We will come to houses and student dormitories to collect the funds. We will also speak to the church leaders to get involved in this fund raising," he said