Finally, hope for the forgotten Melanesians. And a chance for Prime Minister Derek Sikua and this country to try to help right one of the great wrongs of Melanesia.

It comes with Vanuatu's move to push the cause of the Indonesian-ruled West Papuans at next month's Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting. This is being held in the Vanuatu capital, Port Vila.

Vanuatu Foreign Minister George Wells promised support after the West Papua National Coalition of Liberation met in Port Vila the other day.

Vanuatu wants the West Papuans to be given observer status within the Melanesian Spearhead Group. It would link them with Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Kanaks of New Caledonia.

Dr Sikua should support this Vanuatu move despite all the behind-the-scenes pressures he will now come under not to. For the Indonesians have no more right to occupy West Papua than they did East Timor.

Indonesia's mistreatment of the Papuans and exploitation of West Papua's rich resources are well documented. Just the other day, for instance, TV viewers in Honiara saw a graphic Australia Network documentary telling of the spreading of HIV/AIDS amongst the Papuan population.

There were suggestions this is part of a strategy to weaken the Papuans and strengthen the position of Asian Indonesians being moved into Papua.

So let's never forget the following despite all the huff and puff from Jakarta. Indonesia's occupation of West Papua has no credibility. It was only allowed to happen because it suited American Government interests during the Cold War.

More recently Australian and Papua New Guinean governments have largely kept West Papua off the Pacific Islands Forum agenda. They have thwarted efforts to get the Forum to address the issue of West Papuan self determination.

Canberra does this because it worries about maintaining Australia's own relationships with its massive and sensitive neighbour to its north.

To appease Jakarta, Canberra pragmatically turns a blind eye to the rights of the West Papuans. This has been especially important to Canberra since the fallout with Jakarta over East Timor.

In Port Moresby, there is personal sympathy for their fellow Melanesians across the border in the west.

But Papua New Guinea governments also fear provoking any confrontation with the Indonesians. They are especially wary of the powerful Indonesian military who hold such sway in West Papua and benefit so much from the occupation there.

There are also some in Papua New Guinea who see benefits, perhaps personal, in snuggling up to the Indonesians.

Vanuatu alone has long supported the West Papuan cause. It has been prepared to stand up to all the pressure over this. Not just from the Indonesians but also from Canberra and Port Moresby.

The West Papua National Coalition of Liberation is said to bring together 28 pro-independence groups. Its vice chairman, Dr John Ondawame, told Radio Australia after they met in Port Vila that there are now signs of support from Fiji and Solomon Islands too.

Let's hope this finally translates into a true Melanesian effort to right one of the great wrongs of this part of the world. And Solomon Islands joins Vanuatu in leading this effort.

Granting the West Papuans observer status in the Melanesian Spearhead Group is an important first step.