Papua New Guinea's deputy chief migration officer says processes are underway to grant citizenship to about 3,000 West Papuan refugees.
Indonesian and West Papuan girls play in a market in Jayapura. Photo: RNZ / Koroi Hawkins
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.