The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Centre has called for a national action to be held over two days, the 13th and July 14th in West Papua.

The action is to celebrate the meeting in Honiara in the Solomon Islands of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders to consider the application of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) for full membership at the MSG. The activities will take the form of a peaceful demonstration, prayer and feasting to show support for the ULMWP's application.

In an opinion piece "Is MSG a strong or sick man of the Pacific?" the spokesperson from the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra wrote that the ULMWP "was created to represent the voices of overseas Papuans, who may still have Indonesian citizenship and many who have renounced their citizenship. The Movement does not represent the almost four million residents".

Joe Collins of AWPA said, "anybody concerned about the grave human rights situation in West Papua would realise that Sade Bimantara from the Indonesian Embassy is wrong on many of his statements. One only has to be aware of the issue to know that the ULMWP represents the majority of West Papuans both inside and outside of the territory and not just those "voices of overseas Papuans" as he states.

In the large number of rallies that took place in the past months in West Papua many of the banners carried by the Papuans stated "we support ULMWP to become the full member of MSG" and similar statements. Another point Mr Bimantara should ponder is why after 53 years of Indonesian administration West Papuans are still marching in the streets risking arrest and torture to bring to the world's attention the injustices they suffer under Indonesian rule? A total failure on the part of Jakarta to win over the West Papuan people.

AWPA hopes that the upcoming celebrations are allowed to go ahead peacefully and the security forces will not interfere in any peaceful celebrations. Since May of this year over 3000 Papuans have been arrested in peaceful rallies by the Indonesian security forces who seem to have great difficulty in grasping the principles laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states, Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. (Article 19) and everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. (Article 20).

Joe Collins AWPA (Sydney)

Source: http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/media-release-knpb-has-called-for.html