{"id":714510,"date":"2022-06-23T09:08:34","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T09:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?p=75507"},"modified":"2022-06-23T09:08:34","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T09:08:34","slug":"social-justice-research-network-awards-trophy-to-papuan-student-advocate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2022\/06\/23\/social-justice-research-network-awards-trophy-to-papuan-student-advocate\/","title":{"rendered":"Social justice research network awards trophy to Papuan student advocate"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.asiapacificreport.nz\/\">Pacific Media Centre<\/a> newsdesk<\/em><\/p>\n<p>A new Asia Pacific social justice research and publication nonprofit has awarded a diversity communications trophy to a West Papuan postgraduate student who has advocated for the education and welfare of his fellow students.<\/p>\n<p>Several dozen Papuan students trying to complete their studies were stranded in Aotearoa New Zealand by a sudden scholarship cancellation.<\/p>\n<p>Laurens Ikinia, 26, has been campaigning since February for his fellow students to carry on with their studies in New Zealand after Jakarta scrapped their Papuan autonomy government scholarships.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?s=Asia+Pacific+Media+Network\"><strong>READ MORE:<\/strong> Other Asia Pacific Report Network reports<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>However, while presenting the Storyboard Award for diversity journalism to Ikinia, interim chair of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PacificJournalismReview\">Asia Pacific Media Network<\/a>, Dr David Robie, said today the prize was primarily marking the work of the communication studies student during the pandemic in 2020 when he \u201craised the profile\u201d of the tiny Papuan community in Aotearoa New Zealand with many articles.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis efforts have gone on from strength to strength combining the skills of journalism and as a communications advocate,\u201d he said at the ceremony in the Wh\u0101nau Community Hub in Mt Roskill.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLaurens Ikinia has done West Papua proud, and we\u2019re also very proud of his work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Storyboard Award was first created in 2006 with the first winner being Qiane Matata-Sipu, creator of <em>Nuku: Stories of 100 Indigenous Women<\/em>. Other winners have included John Pulu of <em>Tagata Pasifika;<\/em> Alex Perrottet, formerly of RNZ; Sri Krishnmurthi of <em>Pacific Media Watch;<\/em> and Alistar Kata and Blessen Tom of TVNZ\u2019s <em>Fair Go<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Publication of PJR<\/strong><br \/>\nThe APMN, formally founded earlier this month, was established to continue publication of <em>Pacific Journalism Review<\/em>, first launched at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1994 and published in recent years at the University of the South Pacific then Auckland University of Technology.<\/p>\n<p>The network&#8217;s objectives also include providing resources to benefit \u201cFirst Nations and other communities, and in support of fair representation for voiceless and diverse community interests\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Gathered at the ceremony were academics, researchers, community advocates and journalists \u2013 including several stalwarts of the former Pacific Media Centre \u2013 and also \u201cwantok\u201d supporters of Ikinia.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for the Wh\u0101nau Hub, Nik Naidu, said it was \u201cexciting to be working with like-minded groups committed to social justice&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt certainly feels as if we are part of an important initiative &#8212; it\u2019s a privilege to be part of such an inclusive and welcoming community,\u201d said Dr Heather Devere, one of the network members.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_75520\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-75520\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-75520\" src=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-300x192.jpg\" alt=\"Khairiah A. Rahman and David Robie with Laurens Ikinia\" width=\"400\" height=\"256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-1024x655.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-768x491.jpg 768w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-2048x1310.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-696x445.jpg 696w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-1068x683.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Khairiah-Laurens-David-656x420.jpg 656w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-75520\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Khairiah A. Rahman and David Robie with Laurens Ikinia. Image: Del Abcede\/APR<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Pacific Journalism Review<\/em> editor Dr Philip Cass said it was encouraging that the 28-year-old journal now had a new home and his editorial team were busy working on the next edition due out next month.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Institutional support<\/strong><br \/>\nIkinia reported that for most of the 27 Papuan students who were impacted on by the loss of government scholarships and were still in Aotearoa they were being assisted by a mix of institutional support through accommodation and waiving of fees and public fundraising.<\/p>\n<p>In the case of nine students in Palmerston North who had completed their carpentry course, they had been offered jobs and were applying for work visas.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_75522\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-75522\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-75522\" src=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Nik-sharp-group-680wide-300x132.jpg\" alt=\"Nik Naidu and APMN\" width=\"400\" height=\"176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Nik-sharp-group-680wide-300x132.jpg 300w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Nik-sharp-group-680wide.jpg 680w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-75522\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nik Naidu of the Wh\u0101nau Community Hub with other Asia Pacific Media Network members at their meeting today. Image: Del Abcede\/APR<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ikinia said that on behalf of the International Alliance of Papuan Students Association Overseas (IAPSAO) he was offering \u201cour humble and sincere gratitude\u201d for all the assistance provided in New Zealand.<\/p>\n<p>He also said that student president Yan Wenda and secretary Christian Tabuni had returned to the Papuan capital Jayapura in a bid to seek government support.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019ve met Governor Lukas Enembe in person to talk about the struggle faced by all West Papuan students who are currently studying overseas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>It is believed the governor had issued instructions for the payment of outstanding fees.<\/p>\n<p>Ikinia also thanked Auckland University of Technology for its support and community groups such as Pax Christi that have been fundraising.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_75518\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-75518\" style=\"width: 680px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-75518 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Good-shot-mad-hatter-group-680wide.jpg\" alt=\"Asia Pacific Media Network members\" width=\"680\" height=\"442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Good-shot-mad-hatter-group-680wide.jpg 680w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Good-shot-mad-hatter-group-680wide-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Good-shot-mad-hatter-group-680wide-646x420.jpg 646w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-75518\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Asia Pacific Media Network members and Papuan students share the success of Laurens Ikinia. Image: Del Abcede\/APR<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"syndicated-attribution\">This post was originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/2022\/06\/23\/social-justice-research-network-awards-trophy-to-papuan-student-advocate\/\">Asia Pacific Report<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pacific Media Centre newsdesk A new Asia Pacific social justice research and publication nonprofit has awarded a diversity communications trophy to a West Papuan postgraduate student who has advocated for the education and welfare of his fellow students. Several dozen Papuan students trying to complete their studies were stranded in Aotearoa New Zealand by a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":400,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16072,428,5,365,7,94,255,390,358,12,431,1204,392,50346,1743],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/714510"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/400"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=714510"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/714510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":714511,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/714510\/revisions\/714511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=714510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=714510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=714510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}