THE chairperson of the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is calling on Indonesia to commission a fact finding mission to discuss the situation in West Papua with members of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Mr Sogavare made the call as he welcomed what he described as Indonesia’s change of strategy on West Papua and its approach towards West Papuan separatists.

Alluding to last year’s release of high-profile Papuan freedom fighter Filep Karma, the Mr Sogavare says the decision to release Mr Karma is encouraging and speaks well of Indonesian president Joko Widodo’s policies to bring peace to Papua.