Red and White in PNG
The reality is that Indonesia is a country inhabited by various ethnic groups. The negative stigma among some PNG citizens toward Indonesia is mainly based on the feeling of Melanesian brotherhood with the Papuans.
RI Anniversary Ceremony at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in 2014.
Parts of Indonesia, especially Eastern Indonesia, are inhabited by Melanesians. Therefore, Indonesia participated in the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival which was held in 2014 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
This was the largest cultural festival in the South Pacific region, held for two full weeks, attended by Pacific countries, such as Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. There was also Australia. In its inaugural participation at this festival, Indonesia brought a large delegation of artists from the provinces of Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, West Papua and Papua.