The National Parliament and the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs made their intentions known during the recent National Youth Parliament in Honiara.
Speaker of Parliament, Ajilon Jasper Nasiu, told participants that 20 youth parliamentarians will be selected from the current Youth Parliament to represent Solomon Islands in the 2017 Melanesian Youth Parliament.
“And from this Youth Parliament, a separate selection panel will select 20 youth parliamentarians, 10 boys and 10 girls to represent the Solomon Islands in next year’s Melanesian Youth Parliament.”
The Speaker of Parliament appeals to all youth parliamentarians participating in the current youth parliament to perform to their best in order to represent the country in the Melanesian Youth Parliament next year.
The objective of a Youth Parliament is to teach young people about some of the core principles of democracy, its values and how it functions. It also gives young people an opportunity to raise issues of concern, and in so doing feed into mainstream policy discussions or debates.
Tokoh HAM Inggris, Peter Tatchell saat menerima Gandhi International Peace Award dari pengacara HAM Inggris yang terkemuka, Helena Kennedy QC, disaksikan oleh Omar Hayat dari Gandhi Foundation (Foto:scoop.co.nz
LONDON, SATUHARAPAN.COM – Isu pelanggaran Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM) di Papua tampaknya tak terbendung lagi untuk menjadi perhatian dunia. Semakin banyak tokoh mancanegara yang memberi perhatian pada masalah ini. Indonesia tampaknya harus semakin bekerja keras untuk mengupayakan dialog untuk meredamnya.
Sebuah amunisi baru bagi mereka yang mengangkat masalah pelanggaran HAM di kancah internasional, baru saja datang dari terpilihnya tokoh Inggris dan aktivis HAM negara itu, Peter Tatchell. Ia terpilih sebagai penerima Gandhi International Peace Award, penghargaan bagi tokoh yang berjuang memperjuangkan perdamaian secara nonkekerasan. Ia diganjar penghargaan itu atas pengabdiannya bagi kerja-kerja pembelaan HAM selama 50 tahun di Inggris dan di seluruh dunia.
Yang menarik, Tatchell mendedikasikan kemenangannya ini untuk pembebasan Papua. Ketika menerima penghargaan itu di London pada 31 Oktober, ia memanfaatkan separuh dari pidatonya berbicara tentang pelanggaran HAM di Papua. Kritik pedas terhadap Jakarta mendominasi pidatonya tentang Papua.
Tatchell menerima penghargaan tersebut dalam sebuah upacara di House of Parliement di London, Inggris. Yang menyerahkan kepadanya adalah pengacara HAM Inggris yang terkemuka, Helena Kennedy QC, yang juga merupakan anggota parlemen Inggris.
“Menerima penghargaan ini adalah kehormatan besar. apresiasi yang mendalam saya kepada Gandhi Foundation,” kata Tatchell, dikutip dari scoop.co.nz.
“Saya mendedikasikan penerimaan saya atas penghargaan ini kepada orang-orang heroik di Papua (Barat) dan perjuangan pembebasan mereka melawan penjajahan dan dan pendudukan militer. Sejak aneksasi oleh Jakarta pada tahun 1969, setidaknya 100.000, dan mungkin 400.000, orang Papua telah meninggal,” kata Tatchell, dalam pidato penerimaan penghargaan itu.
Berjuang 50 Tahun
Gandhi Foundation, lembaga yang memberikan penghargaan itu, mengatakan Peter Tatchell secara konsisten selama beberapa dekade memperjuangkan dan mempromosikan HAM dan hak LGBT. Tatchell, yang merupakan pendiri Peter Tatchell Foundation, dinilai telah membantu untuk membangkitkan pemahaman yang lebih besar dalam pikiran publik akan isu-isu penting dan menciptakan kondisi untuk memungkinkan hukum dilaksanakan dalam melindungi kelompok minoritas.
“Dia secara konsisten berada di garis depan gerakan progresif, dari anti-apartheid hingga hak-hak Palestina, perlucutan senjata nuklir, reformasi demokrasi di Timur Tengah dan kampanye melawan undang-undang anti-teror kejam di Inggris,” demikian pernyataan Gandhi Foundation.
“Dia telah mencapai ini melalui keyakinannya atas protes non-kekerasan, yang merupakan prinsip-prinsip yang dianut oleh Mahatma Gandhi,” lanjut pernyataan itu.
“Dewan Pengawas Gandhi Foundation juga memperhitungkan keberanian pribadinya dalam menghadapi prasangka dan menempatkan dirinya kadang-kadang di jalan serangan kekerasan tetapi tidak pernah membalas dengan kekerasan. Dia telah berulang kali mempertaruhkan dirinya dalam penangkapan dan penahanan untuk mengekspos ketidakadilan, dan telah dipandang sebagai panutan oleh banyak aktivis hak asasi manusia,” demikian pernyataan Gandhi Foundation.
Berjuang Sejak Usia 15 Tahun dengan Prinsip Kasih
Tatchell mengatakan penghargaan yang diterimanya dia pandang sebagai pengakuan atas setengah abad bekerja untuk HAM, dimulai pada tahun 1967 ketika ia berusia 15 tahun.
“Tapi, tentu saja, perubahan apapun yang telah membantu membawa saya, ia tidak pernah dicapai oleh saya sendiri. Saya adalah bagian dari, upaya kolektif bersama Gay Liberation Front, Anti-Apartheid Movement, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, OutRage! dan belasan kelompok kampanye lain yang telah saya dukung selama beberapa dekade,” kata dia.
“Terima kasih saya kepada semua orang-orang untuk kebaikan mereka, kemurahan hati dan dukungan selama beberapa dekade. Hal ini jauh lebih dihargai – dan berharga,” kata dia.
Menurut dia, perjuangan non-kekerasan Gandhi yang sukses terhadap kekuasaan kolonial Inggris di India telah menjadi inspirasi abadi sepanjang 50 tahun kampanye HAM yang dia lakukan.
“Memaksa Inggris keluar dari India – pada saat Inggris adalah negara adidaya militer terbesar dalam sejarah dan bertekad untuk melanjutkan kekuasaan kekaisaran – itu luar biasa. Tapi itu semua lebih luar biasa lagi karena metode Gandhi mencapai pemerintahan sendiri dan kebebasan tanpa mengganggu bahkan satu helai rambut di kepala tentara Inggris. Gandhi menunjukkan potensi yang besar dari kekuatan damai rakyat,” tutur dia.
Ia menggaris bawahi bahwa kasih merupakan energi yang tak tergoyahkan.
“Mengikuti jejak Gandhi, motif usaha hak asasi manusia saya adalah kasih. Saya mengasihi orang lain. Saya suka kebebasan, kesetaraan dan keadilan. Satu-satunya perjuangan pembebasan yang layak diperjuangkan adalah perjuangan yang terinspirasi oleh kasih. Kasih adalah awal, tengah dan akhir pembebasan. Tanpa kasih, tidak ada pembebasan layak disebut,” kata dia.
Prinsip-prinsip nonkekerasan, menurut Tatchell, telah ia aplikasikan dalam berbagai aksi yang ia lakukan. Berbagai aksi yang sudah ia alakukan, termasuk aksi protes memperjuangkan hak LGBT di Jerman Timur (1973), melawan upaya penangkapannya atas perintah Presiden Mugabe dari Zimbabwe (1999 and 2001), seruan agar pasukan Inggris menolak penggunaan nuklir (1985), kritik terhadap 10 uskup Anglikan atas kolusi munafik mereka terhadap homofobia gereja (1994), protes terhadap Tony Blair atas perang Irak (2003), protes terhadap pelarangan pawai gay di Moskow (2007) dan upaya memblokade limousine diktator militer Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf (2008).
Dipersembahkan untuk Papua
Dalam pidatonya kemenangan itu, Tatchell cukup panjang lebar berbicara tentang Papua, dengan kritik yang sangat pedas terhadap Jakarta.
Ia antara lain menuduh program transmigrasi ke Papua “sengaja dirancang untuk membuat orang Papua menjadi minoritas di tanah mereka sendiri.”
Menurut dia, pelanggaran HAM di Papua meluas termasuk penangkapan massal. Ia mengeritik hukum di Indonesia, yang dengan mengibarkan bendera bintang kejora saja, orang bisa dihukum 10 sampai 15 tahun.
Di bagian akhir pidatonya, ia mengatakan dirinya berbagi solidaritas dengan rakyat Papua dan hak untuk menentukan nasib sendiri.
“Indonesia harus setuju referendum yang diawasi oleh PBB bagi masyarakat asli Papua, untuk membiarkan mereka memutuskan apakah mereka ingin tetap menjadi bagian dari Indonesia atau merdeka.”
ia menyerukan agar penjualan senjata oleh Barat ke Indonesia dihentikan. Demikian juga dengan eksploitasi ekonomi asing yang luas atas sumber daya emas, tembaga, minyak, gas dan kayu. Menurut dia, eksploitasi itu berlangsung tanpa persetujuan dari rakyat Papua.
Pada kesempatan itu, ia juga memperkenalkan Maria dan Koteka Wenda yang mewakili gerakan pembebasan Papua. “Mereka adalah pengungsi, pejuang dan keluarga dari pemimpin kemerdekaan Papua, Benny Wenda. Selamat datang kepada Maria dan Koteka, “kata Tatchell.
Sebagai catatan, Benny Wenda, juru bicara United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), yang memperjuangkan hak menentukan sendiri bagi Papua, sampai saat ini tinggal di Inggris. Sejumlah tokoh Inggris telah menyatakan dukungan bagi hak penentuan nasib sendiri bagi Papua. Di antaranya, tokoh gereja Inggris, Richard Douglas Harries, atau yang lebih dikenal sebagai Lord Harries of Pentregarth, dan Ketua Partai Buruh, Jeremy Corbyn.
Tentang Gandhi Foundation
Gandhi Foundation adalah sebuah lembaga amal terdaftar di Inggris yang bertujuan untuk menyebarkan pengetahuan dan pemahaman tentang hidup dan karya Mahatma Gandhi.
Tujuan utama lembaga ini adalah menjelaskan dan menunjukkan relevansi dari aksi dan pandangan Gandhi dewasa ini.
Hal itu dilakukan dengan mempromosikan nonkekerasan ketimbang perang dan agresi; ekonomi egaliter yang menekankan kepada ketahanan sendiri, kerjasama dan kepercayaan.
Lembaga amal ini juga mempromosikan gaya hidup sederhana, menghindari pencarian tak berkesudahan terhadap kepemilikan harta dan pengalaman semu. Cara ini dipandang sebagai langkah mendasar untuk melindungi sumber daya bumi
dan ekologi.
Gandhi Foundation telah memberikan penghargaan Gandhi International Peace Award sejak tahun 1998.
RadioNZ – A conference getting underway in Sydney today looks to address two major areas of concern to people in the Pacific region in the same sitting.
‘At the Intersection: Pacific Climate Change and Resource Exploitation in West Papua’ runs for two days, hosted by Western Sydney University and the University of Sydney’s West Papua Project.
Deforestation is rife across New Guinea. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
The keynote speaker is Vanuatu’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Ralph Regenvanu. Others attending include climate change scientists and West Papuan analysts.
The conference has been organised by Dr Cammi Webb-Gannon from Western Sydney University who said climate change and pernicious resource extraction in West Papua had a deep connection.
She said there was a need to find common strands of the two problems, and how it might it be useful to address them together.
“The Indonesian colonisation of West Papua is what has led to this gross resource exploitation, and the flow-on effects of human rights violations and environmental destruction in West Papua. So the two are very related,” she explained.
“They’ve never been discussed in tandem, but that’s the point of this conference, to do so.”
Dr Webb-Gannon said there were various critical issues that required attention.
She noted how the impacts of climate change throughout the Pacific Islands region highlight the importance of preserving West Papua’s rainforests from rampant logging and forest clearance.
“We want to question in this conference whether if we can halt or even stop some of the resource exploitation – whether that’s mining at Freeeport, gas mining along the coast of West Papua or even looking at reducing the land clearing in Merauke – then maybe this can help slow down Pacific climate change which is also quite alarming.”
The conference will utilise Open Space Technology to elicit creative strategies and policy advice from expert participants.
PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has adjourned Parliament to November 14.
Six bills will be ready for deliberation by Parliament at the Second Reading stage when it resumes its final sitting for this year on the 14th of November.
The bills- Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill 2016, Land Surveyors Bill 2016, Child and Welfare Bill 2016, Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016, Pacific Games 2023 Bill 2016 and Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Authority Bill 2016- were put through the First Reading Stage when Parliament convened yesterday morning for the final 2016 session.
After the first Reading of the Bills, Prime Minister moved a Motion of Special Adjournment seeking approval of the House to postpone the meeting to November 14 to allow the Bills and Legislation Committee to inquire into these bills and also for Cabinet to deliberate on the 2017 Budget and other bills to be brought to Parliament this session.
When moving the motion, the Prime Minister said:
“I would like to move that the adjournment of Parliament on Tuesday 2nd November 2016-the present meeting- shall stand adjourned till Monday 14th November 2016.
“The reason is that a number of bills have been submitted to Parliament and the Bills and Legislation Committee will need to inquire into before we can deliberate on them at the Second Reading stage when we resume our present meeting on November 14.
“This motion will also give a little more time for the Government to look at the (2017) Budget.
“There are also other bills including the Dual Citizenship Bill that still need to be submitted to Parliament. So we need that space of time to complete these tasks.”
Leader of the Australian West Papua Association (Sydney) (AWPA), Joe Collins, has spoken out against reports that Jakarta has requested Australia to pass on a message to the Solomon Islands to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Indonesia.
“This is an outrageous request as it is the duty of all nations to raise concern about human rights abuses not only in West Papua but no matter where they are committed.
“The Solomon Islands and the other six Pacific leaders who raised concern about the human rights abuses in West Papua (at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September) are to be congratulated for their courageous stand on the issue of West Papua,” said Mr Collins.
He said that it is a pity that Australia does not follow the Pacific leaders in also condemning the ongoing human rights abuses committed by the Indonesian Military.
“Not only should Australia refuse the request of the Indonesian defence minister but should be supporting the Pacific leaders in calling on Jakarta to allow a PIF facing mission to West Papua.”
Indonesia’s Defence Minister was quoted by media as having requested Australia to pass on the message to the Solomon Islands, saying that as a major donor, Australia should raise the issue of non-interference with Solomon Islands.
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Joe Collins, along with AWPA’s Secretary Anne Noonan, were awarded the 2012 John Rumbiak Human Rights Defender Award.
AWPA’s role is to lobby and inform the Australian Government and the International Community and in particular regional organizations such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the Melanesian Spearhead Group to raise concerns about the human rights situation in West Papua.
PMNews asked the West Papua Revolutionary Army on recent killings happening in West Papua, who are the killers? Or Who is causing troubles in West Papua despite tens of visits to West Papua by the colonial president Joko Widodo. Lt. Gen. Amunggut Tabi says,
Papuans in West Papua Only Have One Killer: The Malay Indos. No one should be confused about it. Since its military invasion Indonesia has been here for gold, copper, timber, gas, oil, fish, you name it. And the human beings, native inhabitants, of an inferior and backward Melanesian race are seen as troublesome, as hindrance to the original purpose of invading, occupying and extracting the natural resources.
Amunggut Tabi continues,
Many Indnnesians use this expression, “New Guinea is a big Island, very big fo host all Indonesians, even still have more rooms to host all Malays from Java to Thailand, its natural resources terribly rich, it will take thousands of years to complete extract the natural resources, it is ripe, it is ready, however, it is a pity, it is disturbing, it is discouraging, that this island also has human beings, called Melanesian Papuan.
It is clear, that Melanesians in West Papua are seen as a “pity”, an obstacle, hinderance to the great Pan-Indonesia, Great Malay Republic as inspired by the first Malay-Indos President Sukarno.
Now, what is the solution that normal human being take when you see something or somebody is a “hindrance”? You solve it. You take the hindrance away. In this case, if Papuan as human beings are the problems, then Malay-Indos have to deal with them, and the only way is to kill-them-off.
Amunggut Tabi also stated,
I mean, wiping out Melanesians, not just Papuans, is on the agenda of Pan-Indonesia or Great Indonesia nation-state that was already designed by Sukarno. The mission is not yet complete until the Isle of New Guinea is fully occupied, and exploited, and the Papuans in this Island is completely wiped out.
I can guarantee this because I have read all secret-documents from Indonesian intelligence. Of course, we must purchase the information, but in the future time, they will take over Papua New Guinea, and later on Solomon Islands. It is just a matter of time, the plan is already in place and already in hands.
The most feasible approach to occupying the whole Melanesia starting from Raja Ampat Islands of West Papua westernmost ends is by wiping out the human beings who inhabit the Island. There is no other way ahead. They will never occupy already independent Papua New Guinea and other Melanesian nation-states just by killing the inhabitants but at least they already starting from West Papua. Once they wipe out and occupy West Papua, they will occupy Papua New Guinea in social, culture, technology, infrastructure, military, police.
Amunggut Tabi furthermore warned,
Of all human race in the world, Malay-Indos as Malay race is the most corrupt in their moral standard. They will always use women as the front-page, their window, their entry-point, their leading story. The most obvious example is the last UNGA interventions made by seven South Pacific countries was responded by Indonesia by presented what they called, “beautiful young Indonesian diplomat” and it then because spiral all over Indonesia. They do not care human beings are killed, and threatened to be wiped out from their own inherited land. Their focus was on that “one lady” that they regarded beautiful. What is the meaning of beauty when she tells lies in public speech? Beauty must rests in the heart, not in the skin.
Amunggut Tabi also mentioned the names, as examples, of Melanesian leaders who have been morally and politically defeated by Indonesia after giving them Indonesian ladies as their wives, or as their maids. Women is always in their forehead when they talk about dealing with other people, to defeat them:
They have, and they will offer ladies to many Melanesian politicians and key figures, and they will use all their powers to control Melanesian politics though back-doors, not front-doors. They have done so successfully with Papua New Guinea key figures. They will soon do it all over Melanesia. They will occupy Melanesia though back-doors. They are occupying West Papua though front-door. Melanesian leaders must read this reality rationally, and respond to it rationally, strategically, and wisely.
With all these background information, Amunggut Tabi said that Malay-Indos are the ones who want to see West Papua unstable, to see West Papuans wiped out from their homeland, to exploit and extract as many natural resources as possible in short time as possible.
He continues,
When you see any Melanesians die, mysteriously, openly, caused by illness or a sudden death, in remote villages or in crowded city, anywhere in Indonesia, hit by car or shot randomly, Melanesians must keep in mind, that surely, Malay-Indos are on their way wiping out Melanesian race. They are our killers. Any aid and development funds offer from Indonesia should be rejected, because their aid and money are full of Papuans’ blod.
In a statement, Parkop said Papua New Guinea should be adopting a more moral and humanistic policy on West Papua instead of sticking to the immoral position of continuing to recognize Indonesia Sovereignty over the territory without question or conditions.
Parkop said he will be making submission to this effective to the NEC and will impress on NEC to change our policy.
“Otherwise I will be pushing for such changes in the next Government after 2017 General Election.
“I will be proposing that PNG adopt a position where while we acknowledge Indonesia control over the territory of West Papua, we must question the legality of the integration and call on Indonesia to correct this historical error so as to bring lasting peace and harmony to our region.
“We all know that so called Act of Free Choice in 1969 did not comply with the law as it exist in 1969 or since. We all know Indonesia invaded West Papua in 1962 and had military, political and administrative control of the territory in 1969 when the Vote on Integration was taken.
“We all know Indonesia only allowed 1000 people out of 1.2 million Papuans to vote in 1969. We all know that these 1000 people were selected and subject to undue pressure by the Indonesia.Indonesia is obliged to correct this historical mistake that continues to retard the progress of the Papua People and hinder their freedom.”
Parkop added that although the Government has made progress in addressing the Papuan issue on a bilateral and multilateral basis but our policy has not changed. Our policy to just recognize Indonesia Sovereignty over West Papua without reservation is immoral, outdate and inhuman. It is also against our conscience. It is also against the stand or position of all Pacific Countries including Polynesians and Micronesians.”
Indonesia invaded Timor Leste in 1975 and eventually allowed them to decide their future by a referendum 2000.We all applaud them for correcting that historical mistake. They should do the same with West Papua. Indonesia will be doing a service to humanity and to itself by making this honorable decision rather than to lie.
Parkop further added that as friends of Indonesia, we should not be afraid to speak our mind about the nature of our friendship including pointing out any impediment to a robust friendship.He said the future between PNG and Indonesia will be more robust and enhance if Indonesia relents and agree to allow Papuans to morally and legally decide their future by a properly supervised referendum under the United Nations.
“This is the policy PNG Government should adopt as it is moral, humanistic, legal and honest policy.”
News that the Indonesian government is upping the ante against supporters of West Papua comes as no surprise, a well-placed senior government source said.
“It is no surprise to us, and I think it is not right to say that we are interfering with the internal affairs of Indonesia, we are simply raising an issue of concern regarding our Melanesian brothers of West Papua.
“We are all members of the United Nations, and the respect for Human Rights is one of the key cornerstones of the Charter,” he says.
“That is what we are asking from the UN, to send an independent assessment team to find out the facts on the ground and to report back to the members.”
He says that it is not an unreasonable request, nor is it unprecedented, it is a process established by the UN, and one that Solomon Islands and other Pacific countries are calling on the UN to use.
He says that the membership of West Papua in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is an issue for the MSG alone to decide.
“This is no different from the membership of New Caledonia’s FLNKS, no different, and in fact this is in line with the establishment of the MSG.”
He says that France may not have been supportive of the idea for the FLNKS to join the MSG, “but perhaps they recognized the importance of allowing the FLNKS to raise issues of concern in a proper forum.”
“We have historical and cultural ties to the West Papuan people, so we cannot stand idly by when allegations of human rights abuses are raised time and again.
“So we will use whichever fora we deem appropriate to raise such issues, not to interfere but to remind ourselves of our obligations to certain universal principles and values.”
The Defence Minister of Indonesia has urged the Australian government to rebuke Pacific states, in particular Solomon Islands, for raising Papua in global fora.
A Research Fellow at the Australian National University’s State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Program, Stewart Firth, told Radio New Zealand that “Jakarta has misinterpreted Australia’s relationship with Pacific countries.”
“These are sovereign states. And in particular in the case of Solomon Islands, Solomon Islands has a right to do that [speak out about West Papua] as a sovereign country, and Australia’s not in a very good position to tell them differently,” Dr Firth said.
RadioNZ – Indonesia’s Defence Minister has urged Australia to rebuke Pacific Island states who raise issues relating to West Papua in global fora.
Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu looks on during the third Trilateral Defence Minister’s Meeting in Nusa Dua on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on August 2, 2016. Photo: SONNY TUMBELAKA / AFP
Ryamizard Ryacudu met with Australian government representatives including Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in a meeting in Bali where the two countries reaffirmed security ties.
He pressed Australia to pass a message to Solomon Islands that it should refrain from interferring in the internal affairs of Indonesia, including the issue of West Papua.
World Humanitarian Summit Pacific Consultation. Hon. Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, in his role as chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, has been vocal about boosting West Papuan representation in the group.
He was also one of seven leaders of Pacific states who spoke out about rights abuses in Papua and on support for Papuan self-determination at last month’s UN General Assembly session.
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare has been appointed chair of the Pacific Islands Development Forum. Photo: UN Photo/Kim Haughton
Ryamizard told media that he had implored Canberra to speak to Honiara on the matter because Australia contributes a big aid package in the Solomons.
Detik News reports the Minister saying Australia has accepted the request.
Ryamizard said friendly countries do not disturb each other by interfering in domestic issues.
Indonesian military guard the border with Papua New Guinea Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
He warned that Indonesia will not stay silent when its sovereignty is compromised. He described Indonesia as a tiger that can attack if disturbed.
The Minister urged Australia to pass on the message to Solomon Islands and other Pacific states that they should not invite West Papua to join the MSG.
A march through the streets of Honiara in support of West Papua’s bid to join the MSG. Photo: Supplied
The MSG accepted the United Liberation Movement for West Papua into the group with observer status last year and is considering whether to elevate it to full membership.
An MSG leaders meeting on the matter is due before the end of the year in Vanuatu.
During her visit to Indonesia, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Indonesia’s Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu discussed efforts to deepen military relations at the 2+2 meeting held in Bali last Friday. It was reported by RNZI that the Indonesian Defence Minister urged Australia to pass a message to Solomon Islands that it should refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Indonesia, including the issue of West Papua.
Joe Collins of AWPA said, “this is an outrageous statement as it is duty of all nations to raise concern about human rights abuses not only in West Papua but no matter where they are committed. The Solomon Islands and the other six Pacific leaders who raised concern about the human rights abuses in West Papua (at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September) are to be congratulated for their courageous stand on the issue of West Papua. It is a pity that Australia does not follow the Pacific leaders in also condemning the ongoing human rights abuses committed by the Indonesian Military”.
West Papuan leader Benny Wenda in a statement said that on 27th October, at least 9 West Papuan people were shot and 1 was killed as the Indonesian police opened fire in Manokwari.
According to reports, West Papuan people took to the streets to protest the murder of a West Papuan youth Vigal Pauspaus (20) who was stabbed by an Indonesian migrant. In response, the Indonesian police opened fire on the crowd and killed West Papuan Independence activist Onesimus Rumayom (56). They also reportedly attacked and shot at least 8 other people including children.
Joe Collins said, “it should also be remembered that Indonesia’s Defense Minister Ryacudu said of the soldiers who killed Chief Theys Eluay (Chairperson of the Papuan Presidium Council) in November 2001, that ’I don’t know, people say they did wrong, they broke the law. What law? Okay, we are a state based on the rule of law, so they have been punished. But for me, they are heroes because the person they killed was a rebel leader.’
Not only should Australia refuse the request of the Indonesian defence minister but should be supporting the Pacific leaders in calling on Jakarta to allow a PIF facing mission to West Papua.
ends.
PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has adjourned Parliament to November 14.
Papua Merdeka News 