West Papuans seek observer status at Melanesian summit

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Media Release May 19, 2008
In accordance with one of the Melanesian Spearhead Group’s founding principals, “to promote co-operation among independent Melanesian nations and to assist other Melanesian states that are not yet free”. AWPA calls on the MSG leaders to grant observer status to the people of West Papua.
The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) calls on the leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to grant observer status to the Melanesian people of West Papua at their upcoming meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Joe Collins of AWPA said that “observer status is accorded to the people of Kanaky (New Caledonia) at the MSG, represented by the Front de Libération National Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) and AWPA believes that the time is now right for the Melanesian people of West Papua to be also granted observer status at the MSG”.
AWPA believes the situation in West Papua is deteriorating and that there is a systematic campaign by the military and police to intimidate any individual or organisation whom they (the military and police) deem to be separatists.
The latest report titled “The Practice of Torture in Aceh and Papua 1998-2007” (by a number of church groups and non-governmental organisations), documents hundreds of cases of human rights abuse in West Papua and Aceh between 1998 and 2007.
In March of this year there were number of arrests of West Papuans because of their involvement in peaceful protests and for simply carrying the West Papuan national flag the Morning Star or for having the symbol displayed on their clothing. Two other political prisoners, Filip Karma and Yusak Pakag are now serving 15 and 10 years in prison also for being present at a demonstration in 2004 where the Morning Star flag was raised.
Joe Collins said “the issue of West Papua will not disappear and AWPA believes that regional organisations such as the MSG can play an important role in helping facilitate dialogue between the West Papuan leadership and the Indonesian Government. For many years the West Papuan people have been calling on the international community to support such dialogue as a way of solving the grave issues of concern in West Papua.
AWPA notes that one of the MSG’s founding principals is “to promote co-operation among independent Melanesian nations and to assist other Melanesian states that are not yet free”. AWPA believes that the MSG can support the people of West Papua in their struggle for self-determination by raising their concern about the human rights situation in West Papua with the Indonesian President and by granting the West Papuan people observer status at the upcoming meeting in Vanuatu.
Joe Collins 0407 785 797