Jayapura, Jubi – Setelah dipecat keanggotaannya oleh Presiden United Democratic Party (UDP), Sir Thomas Chan, Perdana Menteri Kepulauan Solomon, Manasye Sogavare merilis tanggapannya melalui Kantor Perdana Menteri Kepulauan Solomon. Ia menegaskan, pemecatan tersebut tidak berpengaruh pada posisinya sebagai Perdana Menteri.
“Saya terpilih secara konstitusional sebagai Perdana Menteri. Keputusan yang diambil oleh Presiden partai tidak memberikan efek apapun pada posisi saya sebagai perdana menteri. Pemecatan keanggotaan saya tidak berpengaruh,” kata Sogavare melalui rilis Kantor Perdana Menteri Kepulauan Solomon yang diterima Jubi, Sabtu (11/11/2016).
Sogavare menegaskan, keputusan Presiden Partai tersebut tidak sah dan diputuskan secara sepihak tanpa konsultasi dengan dewan eksekutif partai.
“Kaukus pemerintah saat ini menunggu permintaan maaf dari presiden partai. Anggota partai di parlemen sepakat keputusan presiden partai itu diputuskan sepihak tanpa konsultasi dengan mereka,” lanjut Sogavare.
Ia menambahkan, Democratic Coalition for Change Government (kaukus pemerintahan di parlemen) berkesimpulan Sir Thomas Chan telah merusak kewenangan eksekutif yang diatur dalam konstitusi nasional dengan pemecatan yang dilakukannya itu.
“Kaukus pemerintahan tidak akan menyerah pada setiap tantangan atau oposisi pada kebijakan pemerintahan,” ujar Sogavare. (*)
Jayapura, Jubi – Presiden United Democratic Party (UDP), Sir Tomy Chan, dikabarkan telah mencabut keanggotaan Perdana Menteri Manasseh Sogavare dari Partai itu.
Surat pemecatan yang ditulis oleh Chan tersebut, menurut sebuah surat kabar Island Sun telah disampaikan pada Sekretaris Pribadi Eksekutif Sogavare, Suzie Wale, di kantor PM sore kemarin, Rabu (9/11/2016).
Surat itu dikatakan berisi keberatan dari Rekan Koalisi terkait gaya kepemimpinan Sogavare dan kinerjanya sejak membentuk pemerintahan dua tahun lalu.
Salinan surat dikabarkan telah didistribukikan kepada 18 anggota terdaftar di UDP termasuk Presiden Partai Aliansi Rakyat (PAP), Sir Nathaniel Waena dan Presiden Kadere Party of Solomon Islands, Peter Boyers.
Alfred Sasako, jurnalis senior dan mantan legislator mengatakan UDP membuat keputusan tersebut disebabkan oleh keberatan resmi yang diajukan Sir Nathaniel dalam pertemuannya dengan Sogavare minggu lalu.
Sogavare dituduh telah mengatakan pada anggota eksekutif PAP termasuk Sir Nathaniel bahwa dirinya (Sogavare) tidak mengakui Political Parties Integrity Act 2014.
“PPIA itu tidak penting. Ada Kabinet dan Kaukus yang harus saya pimpin di negeri ini berdasarkan atas konstitusi,” demikian dugaan perkataan Sogavare dalam pertemuan itu menurut Sasako.
“Pernyataan itu membuat marah Sir Nathaniel hingga ia mengancam walk out, namun anggota PAP meyakinkannya agar tetap tinggal, akhirnya dia tetap tinggal,” demikian kata beberapa orang yang disinyalir ada dalam pertemuan tersebut.
Kaukus tetap mendukung
Sementara itu, Perdana Menteri Sogavare dikabarkan tetap mendapatkan dukungan dari kaukusnya meski keanggotaannya dicabut oleh partainya, UDP.
Dalam pernyataan yang dikeluarkan Kamis sore (10/11/2016) Anggota Parlemen dari partai Sogavare sendiri termasuk anggota parlemen dari partai-partai lain dalam koalisinya tetap mendukung kepemimpinannya.
Kaukus tersebut menyebutkan bahwa tindakan Sir Tommy Chan mencabut keanggotaan Sogavare dari UDP sebagai keputusan sepihak tanpa berkonsultasi dengan jajaran eksekutifnya.
Jika keputusan itu didukung oleh eksekutif UDP maka hal tersebut akan mengancam posisi Perdana Menteri Sogavare sebagai pemimpin parlemen UDP.
Sir Tommy Chan dilaporkan membuat keputusan itu setelah menerima keberatan formal dari rekan koalisinya yang mengritik kepemimpinan Sogavare.
Padahal kaukus parlemen menghendaki permintaan maaf dari partai koalisi presiden karena meremehkan pemerintah. Mereka katakan tetap mendukung Sogavare hingga akhir empat tahun jabatannya.(*)
Jayapura, Jubi – Oposisi parlemen Kepulauan Solomon mendesak Perdana Menteri Manasseh Sogavare dan Pemerintah untuk meninjau kembali pendekatan terhadap isu Papua Barat dengan Indonesia.
Dalam sebuah pernyataan hari ini, Kamis (10/11/2016), kelompok oposisi mengatakan bahwa peringatan oleh Menteri Luar Negeri Indonesia yang disampaikan kepada Menlu Australia jangan dianggap enteng oleh pemerintah.
“Kita semua memiliki kekhawatiran atas masalah hak asasi manusia di Papua Barat. Tapi ada cara lain untuk menangani masalah ini, bukan pendekatan konfrontatif yang diambil oleh Perdana Menteri saat ini. Hal ini tidak hanya mengganggu kedaulatan Indonesia tetapi juga mencampuri urusan dalam negeri negara itu,”
sebut kelompok oposisi dalam pernyataannya.
Kelompok oposisi merekomendasikan agar Perdana Menteri Sogavare melanjutkan hubungan yang dibangun oleh pemerintah sebelumnya dan bekerja melalui Duta Besar Kepulauan Solomon di Jakarta.
“Sikap seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh Perdana Menteri saat ini tidak akan membantu jalannya isu Papua Barat di tingkat internasional,” kata kelompok oposisi.
Kelompok oposisi mengatakan Perdana Menteri telah keliru tentang masalah penting ini, yang tidak hanya akan memperburuk masalah Papua Barat tetapi juga menyakiti Kepulauan Solomon.
“Indonesia adalah mitra penting bagi negara kita dalam perdagangan, energi, perikanan, pengembangan, pelatihan dan pertukaran budaya. Indonesia adalah anggota berpengaruh dari beberapa lembaga multilateral di kawasan Asia dimana Kepulauan Solomon juga memiliki ketergantungan,”
lanjut kelompok oposisi.
Kelompok oposisi menekankan Perdana Menteri perlu keterlibatan intensif Indonesia dalam masalah Papua Barat, bukan pendekatan konfrontatif seperti yang saat ini dilakukannya.
Perdana Menteri Sogavare sendiri, saat ini telah dipecat oleh partainya, terhitung Rabu (9/11/2016) sore. Pemecatannya disebutkan oleh Presiden United Democratic Party’s (UDP) Sir Tommy Chan, dikarenakan complain anggota koalisi di parlemen atas gaya kepemimpinan Sogavare.
Meski demikian, Sogavare mendapatkan dukungan dari anggota partai UDP di parlemen Kepulauan Solomon yang menyebutkan pemecatan Sogavare dilakukan oleh Sir Tommy Chan tanpa konsultasi dengan eksekutif partai. (*)
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.
One of the peace rallies in support of the Pacific Coalition on West Papua representation at the UN General Assembly. Monday 19 September 2016. Photo: Supplied/ Whens Tebay
Radio NZ – West Papua specialist Dr Cammi Webb-Gannon said the unprecedented level of discussion about West Papuan self-determination and human rights at the recent UN General Assembly reflected a new momentum towards decolonisation in the Pacific.
Dr Webb-Gannon, from Western Sydney University’s School of Humanities and Communication Arts, said the Melanesian Spearhead Group chairman and Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare had been particularly pivotal.
“So he’s brought together a lot of Pacific Island countries who have just taken the West Papua issue to the UN but are also hoping to take it to the UN decolonisation committee. So more than ever before, West Papuans are getting their cause on the international radar and that’s really due to the incredible action that’s taken by other Pacific countries.”
Meanwhile, there are hopes among West Papuans that the new United Nations Secretary-General will help protect the human rights of Papua’s indigenous people.
Antonio Guterres, the former Portuguese prime minister, was been unanimously elected to take over the UN top job from Ban Ki-moon at the start of next year.
Antonio Guterres Photo: AFP
As Portugal prime minister, Mr Guterres played a key role in the UN intervention in East Timor shortly before it gained independence from Indonesia.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua’s Pacific regional ambassador, Akouboo Amatus Douw, said that unlike Portugal’s efforts to do the right thing by Timor, the Dutch have not met their moral obligation to Papuans.
However, he hoped that Mr Guterres can similarly help Papuans facilitate calls by seven countries at the UN general assembly last month for an investigation into alleged rights violations in Papua.
Mr Guterres was also the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for 10 years and his work in this role was acknowledged by Mr Douw.
Under Mr Guterres’s leadership, the UNHCR provided legal and humanitarian assistance for over 10,000 West Papuan refugees in PNG.
“In my rough estimation we have 30,000 Papuan political refugees all around the globe including myself,” said Mr Douw.
He said the main reason that Papuans have to flee Indonesian rule is the denial of their absolute rights of self-determination in their home country.
“As I was of 43 West Papua political asylum seekers who escaped from West Papua and landed in Australia in 2006, I have very positive thoughts on his (Guterres’) priorities in seeking to revolve core issues behind why these people became marginalised and suffered in all aspects.”
Radio NZ – Reports from Vanuatu say West Papua is poised to be granted full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in December.
The Daily Post said this was announced by the MSG chair, the Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, in Port Vila at a meeting with West Papuan representatives.
Mr Sogavare reportedly said Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia’s FLNKS movement would admit West Papua at the next MSG Leaders Summit in Vanuatu even if Papua New Guinea and Fiji stay away.
An MSG summit planned for last week was cancelled without a reason being given after it had already been deferred earlier in the year.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has been seeking to become a full member of the MSG which last year made Indonesia as an associate member.
The Chairman of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association Pastor Allan Nafuki said if Fiji and Papua New Guinea do not turn up for the next summit, the three other members will have no alternative but to go ahead and vote West Papua into full MSG membership.
Concern about human rights abuses by Indonesian forces in West Papua was raised by several Pacific Islands countries at the United Nations last month, triggering a rebuke from Jakarta for alleged interference in Indonesia’s domestic affairs.
Radio NZ, Reports from Vanuatu say West Papua is poised to be granted full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in December.
The Daily Post said this was announced by the MSG chair, the Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, in Port Vila at a meeting with West Papuan representatives.
Mr Sogavare reportedly said Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia’s FLNKS movement would admit West Papua at the next MSG Leaders Summit in Vanuatu even if Papua New Guinea and Fiji stay away.
An MSG summit planned for last week was cancelled without a reason being given after it had already been deferred earlier in the year.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has been seeking to become a full member of the MSG which last year made Indonesia as an associate member.
The Chairman of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association Pastor Allan Nafuki said if Fiji and Papua New Guinea do not turn up for the next summit, the three other members will have no alternative but to go ahead and vote West Papua into full MSG membership.
Concern about human rights abuses by Indonesian forces in West Papua was raised by several Pacific Islands countries at the United Nations last month, triggering a rebuke from Jakarta for alleged interference in Indonesia’s domestic affairs.
RNZ – Indonesia is impeding Pacific regional efforts to pursue justice for human rights abuses against Papuans the United Liberation Movement for West Papua says.
Criticism from the Movement’s ambassador for the Pacific Islands region, Amatus Douw, comes as Papua is to be discussed at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit in the Federated States of Micronesia.
At last year’s summit, Forum leaders resolved to push Indonesia to allow a fact-finding mission on West Papua from where reports of rights abuses against the indigenous Melanesians continue to filter out.
After a year and no movement on this front, Dame Meg said Jakarta has indicated it would not welcome such a mission, and was uncomfortable with the term “fact-finding.”
Mr Douw said it was not a failure on the Forum’s part but a sign of the defensiveness of Indonesia which he accused of “consistently trying to run away from its colonialism and human rights atrocities”.
Solomons PM Manaseh Sogavare and leaders of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP)
Members of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (including Amatus Douw bottom left) with Solomon Islands prime minister Manaseh Sogavare (center, blue shirt) Photo: Facebook
The Australia-based envoy believes a direct approach to the United Nations is required.
Indonesia, he said, was “now using weapon to killing young Papuans but you will never kill international law and UN charter on self-determination, freedom and independence”.
The Indonesian embassy in New Zealand admitted Indonesia still faced obstacles in protecting the human rights of her citizens, but said Jakarta was addressing rights abuses.
It said Papua’s incorporation into Indonesia in the 1960s was sanctioned by the United Nations and was final.
Jayapura port, Papua province, Indonesia.
Jakarta says it is advancing economic development in Papua region to help improve living conditions for West Papuans. Photo: RNZI / Koroi Hawkins
At a pre-Forum workshop in Pohnpei, Dame Meg identified that regional leadership was partly divided over how to approach the Papua issue, but noted that people in Pacific nations felt very strongly about it.
Mr Douw echoed Dame Meg’s comments that the nascent Pacific Coalition for West Papua, including both government and civil society representatives, was gaining momentum in its bid to take the Papua issue to the UN level.
On the eve of the Forum summit, he urged Australia and New Zealand leaders to acknowledge their “moral responsibility” and get on board the coalition.
Perdana Menteri Kepulauan Solomon, Manasseh Sogavare, dalam pidatonya dihadapan Majelis Umum PBB Jumat, (23/9/2016) mendukung hak penentuan nasib sendiri West Papua – unmultimedia.org
Manasseh Sogavare menekankan hubungan tak terpisahkan antara pelanggaran HAM dan kehendak penentuan nasib sendiri West Papua sebagai dua sisi pada mata koin yang sama, karena keinginan menentukan nasib sendiri itu berdampak langsung pada pelanggaran HAM yang dialami oleh rakyat West Papua selama ini.
Jayapura, Jubi – Tiga negara, Kepulauan Solomon, Vanuatu dan Tuvalu, menekankan dukungan mereka atas hak penentuan nasib sendiri West Papua di hadapan sesi Debat Majelis Umum PBB ke-71, Jumat (23/9/2016) di New York City-Amerika Serikat.
Pelanggaran HAM dan kehendak penentuan nasib sendiri West Papua adalah dua sisi pada mata koin yang sama, karena keinginan untuk menentukan nasib sendiri itu berdampak langsung pada pelanggaran HAM yang dialami oleh rakyat West Papua selama ini.
Manasseh Sogavare menekankan hubungan tak terpisahkan itu dalam pesan pidatonya untuk West Papua sepanjang 1 Menit 79 detik di hadapan 193 negara-negara anggota PBB.
“Kepulauan Solomon ikut prihatin atas pelanggaran HAM terhadap orang Melanesia di West Papua. Pelanggaran HAM di West Papua dan perjuangan untuk mendapatkan hak penentuan nasib sendiri adalah dua sisi dari koin yang sama,” tegasnya.
Dia menyatakan berbagai laporan terkait pelanggaran HAM di West Papua menunjukkan bahwa keinginan menentukan nasib sendiri berdampak langsung pada pelanggaran HAM yang dilakukan oleh Indonesia di Papua yang bertujuan untuk memperkecil segala bentuk oposisi (terhadap Indonesia).
Secara khusus Perdana Menteri Solomon juga menggarisbawahi penghormatan terhadap kedaulatan suatu negara sebagai hal yang penting. Namun, dia tegaskan, keabsahan yurisdiksi (status hukum) atas kedaulatan tersebut juga harus menjadi perhatian.
“Jika yurisdiksi kedaulatan itu berdiri atas dasar rangkaian keputusan yang masih dipertanyakan, maka sudah sepatutnya menggunggat keabsahaan argumen kedaulatan itu, dalam hal ini terkait keputusan New York Agreement 1962, dan Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat (PEPERA) 1969 (di West Papua),” ujar dia.
New York Aggrement 1962 adalah kesepakatan yang ditandatangani oleh Belanda dan Indonesia terkait administrasi teritori West New Guinea (sekarang Propinsi Papua dan Papua Barat).
Kesepakatan itu meminta PBB menangani administrasi teritori tersebut, dan menetapkan syarat-syarat sosial yang harus dipenuhi PBB sebelum pemindahan kekuasaan administrasi kepada pemerintah Indonesia. Kesepakatan tersebut ditandatangani 15 Agustus di Markas Besar PBB, New York City difasilitasi oleh Amerika Serikat.
Hal senada dinyatakan oleh Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, Perdana Menteri Republik Vanuatu, yang meneruskan pernyataan Manasseh Sogavare untuk mendesak PBB mengambil inisiatif dan tindakan kongkrit untuk mengatasi persoalan West Papua.
“Masalah HAM di West Papua masih belum terurai. Dengan keyakinan moral yang sama seperti yang disampaikan sebelumnya, mendesak PBB mengambil tindakan kongkrit untuk mengatasi persoalan ini. PBB hendaknya tidak tutup mata atas HAM yang dilanggar di West Papua. Rakyat di sana sudah meminta dukungan PBB dan mencari terang atas harapan mereka terhadap kebebasan untuk menjalankan hak azasi di atas tanah mereka agar dapat bebas menegaskan kembali identitanya,” ujar Salwai.
Sementara itu, Enele Sosene Sopoaga, Perdana Menteri Tuvalu, menekankan prinsip penentuan nasib sendiri sebagai hak yang harus dihormati dan dimuliakan.
“Pelanggaran HAM di West Papua dan kehendak mereka untuk mendapatkan hak penentuan nasib sendiri, adalah kenyataan. Kenyataan itu tidak boleh terus menerus diabaikan oleh lembaga besar dan aula hebat ini. Badan ini harus memperhitungkan, tidak boleh membiarkan tindakan-tindakan yang bersembunyi dibalik topeng “non-intervensi” dan kedaulatan, sebagai alasan untuk tidak bertindak apa-apa,” tegas Sopoaga dengan nada yang sama atas sikapnya terhadap Taiwan.
Dia menuntut PBB harus bertindak terkait isu tersebut, “dan mencari solusi yang bisa dikerjakan untuk memberi otonomi bagi masyarakat asli West Papua,” ujarnya.
Respon Pemerintah Indonesia
Sehari sebelumnya, Kamis (22/9/2016) Presiden Kepulauan Marshall, Hilda Heine, perempuan pertama yang memimpin di kawasan Pasifik, juga menegaskan komitmen negaranya terhadap hak azasi manusia di West Papua, dan meminta PBB melakukan kerja kongkrit.
“Saya meminta Dewan HAM PBB memulai penyelidikan yang kredibel dan independen terhadap pelanggaran HAM yang terjadi di West Papua,” ujarnya.
Demikian pula Nauru (22/9) menekankan keprihatinannya terhadap situasi West Papua.
“Nauru juga sangat prihatin atas situasi yang terjadi di West Papua, termasuk pelanggaran HAM seperti yang ditekankan oleh hasil komunike Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), bahwa penting segera ada dialog terbuka dan konstruktif dengan Indonesia terkait situasi ini.”
Terkait hal itu, Kepulauan Solomon meminta negara Indonesia bekerja sama mengatasi pelanggaran HAM di West Papua.
“Menambah suara-suara dari negara-negara anggota lainnya; organisasi masyarakat sipil, yang prihatin atas pelanggaran HAM di West Papua; sebagai pemimpin MSG, dimana Indonesia sebagai associate member dan ULMWP sebagai observer, Kepulauan Solomon menegaskan perlunya hubungan konstruktif dengan indonesia dan berharap agar indonesia bekerja sama untuk mengatasi pelanggaran HAM di Papua,” ujar Sogavare di pengujung pidatonya terkait West Papua.
Seperti diketahui, Kepulauan Solomon memimpin Koalisi Kepulauan Pasifik untuk West Papua (PICWP) yang didukung oleh Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Nauru, Kepulauan Marshall, Tonga, FLNKS-Kaledonia Baru, ULMWP dan Aliansi NGO Kepulauan Pasifik (PIANGO).
Wakil Presiden RI Jusuf Kalla, pada kesempatan yang sama, Jumat (23/9) tampak tidak memberikan pernyataan apapun terkait West Papua. Wapres Kalla menegaskan komitmen Indonesia pada perdamaian dunia, persoalan Israel dan Palestina serta isu-isu pembangunan secara umum.
Seperti diketahu, keputusan komunike Pasifik Islands Forum (PIF) tahun 2015 membentuk misi ‘Tim Pencari Fakta’ ke West Papua, tidak ditanggapi pemerintah Indonesia karena tidak nyaman dengan istilah tersebut, sambil terus menegaskan kedaulatan Indonesia atas West Papua.
Berdasarkan laporan Human Right Watch (HRW) tahun 2015, yang bertajuk Indonesia’s Restrictions on Media Freedom and Rights Monitoring in Papua, sejak tahun 2006 hingga tahun 2013, upaya utusan-utusan khusus PBB memonitor persoalan HAM di Papua tidak membuahkan hasil.
Bulan Januari 2006, Juan Mendez, special envoy Sekjen PBB terkait pencegahan genosida, menyatakan keprihatinannya atas hambatan pemerintah Indonesia terhadap pengawasan HAM di Papua. Pada tahun 2013, pemerintah Indonesia juga tidak menggubris permintaan kunjungan oleh Special Rapporteur PBB, Frank La Rue, terkait promosi dan perlindungan hak berpendapat dan berekspresi.
“Dengan nada ramah, mereka berjanji: ‘Ya, kami sedang menentukan tanggal yang tepat, kami senang sekali menerima anda, dan sedang mencari tanggal yang tepat.’ Namun tanggal itu tidak pernah ada. Itu kan bentuk penolakan dengan cara halus. Saya kira itu menunjukkan banyak hal sedang disembunyikan di Papua,” ujar Frank La Rue seperti dikutip oleh laporan tersebut.(*)
PMPress Office – The President of the Christian Mission for the United Nations Community, Dr Garry Allen yesterday, Monday 19th September, met with Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare, inspiring him about the difference between the politician and statesperson and the challenges to the latter.
The President of the Christian Mission for the United Nations Committee, Dr Allen, with Prime Minister Sogavare and the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Gold Ridge, Hon Tovosia and the Caucus Chairman, Hon Fiulaua after their meeting.
The meeting was held at the margin of the 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Prime Minister Sogavare and other heads of governments and heads of states of UN member countries are in attendance.
Dr Allen said he is convinced that the statesperson uses the authority of his/her office to serve the welfare of the people, has vision to improve the society, is receptive to the work of God in peoples’ lives, is dependent on God and accountable to him, is willing to take political risks in order to do the right thing and relentlessly strives to achieve his/her national vision.
He said in contrary, the politician thinks only of the next election, thinks only about the success of his/her party and is satisfied to make a drift.
The President of the Christian Mission for the UN Community said people the world-over are pleading for their government officials to be visionary leaders who care about their welfare and the authority of the office they hold to help them reach their God-given potential, adding that the demand for and expectation for transparency and accountability are fuelling this movement.
Dr Allen said he believes that God has been very active in Solomon Islands because all Solomon Islands Government officials he has had the privilege of meeting over the last few decades were passionate about following God and fulfilling his mission on Earth.
He said he is available to serve Prime Minister Sogavare and all others in leadership positions in Solomon Islands, adding that he sees serving Solomon Islands as the opportunity to experience blessings that few other nations have had because of their willingness to obey God.
Prime Minister Sogavare in response acknowledged the words of inspiration from Dr Allen and told him of his personal experiences as a politician striving to ensure the implementation of policy intentions that he believes would bring about positive changes to the country in the face of political challenges.
He said he draws inspiration from King Solomon’s reliance on God for wisdom and guidance in his leadership over Israel and also acknowledgement of the fear of God as the beginning of wisdom.
Prime Minister Sogavare said after taking office for the third time in late 2014 as Solomon Islands Prime Minister, his office introduced a daily devotional programme as introduction to each new working day and this has been a great enlightenment to him and his staff.
Prime Minister Sogavare also said he would like to see Dr Allen visit Solomon Islands one day to fulfil his desire to serving Solomon Islanders in leadership position including himself.
Also present at the meeting were the Chairman of Government Caucus, Hon Jackson Fiulaua and Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Gold Ridge, Hon Bradley Tovosia.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare today undertook Solomon Islands first engagement as Vice-President of the 71st United Nations General Assembly when he chaired the UN-OHRLLS dialogue on Climate Displacement and Dignity: Needs of the Most Vulnerable countries.
UN-OHRLLS stands for United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
“Climate Displacement as a growing issue faced by millions of people and its impacts can be felt at the international. Regional, national and sub-national levels
“As climate change disproportionately affects the socio-economic development of the most vulnerable countries in the world including LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS, climate-induced migration both within and across borders in those countries deserves immediate attention and effective response from the international community.
“Within this context, this meeting aims to share experiences and identify challenges faced by LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS in coping with climate displacement, and brainstorm on a strategy for a cohesive international approach across current international processes to protect climate displaced people,” the UN-OHRLLS stated.
Speaking after chairing the first UNGA dialogue, Prime Minister Sogavare said he was honoured to represent Solomon Islands in this important engagement and other UN engagements as well as other side-events that he will undertake during the course of this week in New York.
Papua Merdeka News 