The foreign minister, Alexander Downer, says he neither denies nor accepts reports Indonesian police and soldiers are killing Papuan activists.
Student activists told S-B-S T-V's Dateline program last night Indonesian police murdered a fellow activist in April as he tried to flee Papua by boat.
The three alleged witnesses were among 22 Papuans fleeing to Papua New Guinea when, they say, two Indonesian police boats surrounded them.
The three say their boat sank as they tried to escape and they saw police stab Benediktus Dimi to death.
In another report, Papuan students said Indonesian soldiers had killed their friends after riots in March where four policemen died.
Mr Downer says he believes Indonesian leaders are trying to meet their humanitarian responsibilities.