With a long tradition of supporting independence movements in the Pacific, Vanuatu has taken the lead to support dialogue on the future of the Indonesian province of Papua. Last month, Vanuatu's Foreign Minister Moana Cacasses issued an invitation to the Government of Indonesia to participate in a roundtable meeting with representatives of the West Papuan movement. Now community groups in Vanuatu have formed a new association to mobilise support for the movement across Melanesia.

Presenter/Interviewer: Nic Maclellan

Speakers: Dr. John Ondawame, West Papua People's Representative Office, Port Vila; i Sakita, Chairman, Vanuatu Free West Papua Association

MacLellan. Vanuatu has long been a supporter of independence movements in the Pacific, such as the FLNKS in New Caledonia. But in recent years, the Vanuatu government has extended support to the Melanesian population in the Indonesian province of Papua, which is called West Papua by its independence movement.

Dr. John Ondawame works with the West Papua People's Representative Office in Port Vila – an office established with the approval of the Vanuatu government. Dr. Ondawame welcomes Vanuatu's recent initiative calling for a round table dialogue between the Government of Indonesia and representatives of the West Papuan movement.

Ondawame: "Primary objectives of this round table discussions is to bring in together the government of Indonesia and the people of West Papua, representatives of the people of West Papua, to develop a common understanding and trust before we start a real negotiation regarding the situation in West Papua.

"But the most important thing in the peace process is the need for both conflicting parties to sit down on the negotiating table, which is the first time in our history that the two parties agree to sit down together.

"The government of Vanuatu would like to facilitate these historical events, so we really appreciate the government of Vanuatu and the people of Vanuatu for these initiatives that have been taking place."

MacLellan: Dr. John Ondawame.

The Vanuatu government's formal invitation for Indonesia to attend a roundtable discussion was preceded by informal discussions between Vanuatu Foreign Minister Moana Cacasses and Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, meeting earlier this year in Shanghai, China.

The Indonesian Foreign Minister indicated that his government was open to the idea, but as yet there's been no formal response to Vanuatu's invitation.

With elections scheduled for July in both countries, there's unlikely to be a quick decision, but community groups are working to ensure that a new Vanuatu government maintains its involvement in the issue.

A new Vanuatu Free West Papua Association was launched in Port Vila last week, to lobby any future Vanuatu government to support West Papuan independence. The association's members include youth and community groups but also major institutions like the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, the Vanuatu Association of NGOs and the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs. Lai Sakita is Chairman of the new association.

Sakita: "In Solomon Islands, Indonesia has set up over there a consulate and in Fiji an embassy and we are afraid that it might happen in Vanuatu, so we must prepare the ni-Vanuatu.

"And that's why we set up this association to remind also new politicians or whoever in the government that the West Papuan issue is also a Melanesian issue and Vanuatu is part of Melanesia, that's why we should be part of that issue.

"The association has been formed also to advocate for the independence and human rights of the people of West Papua and Melanesia, and there are groups in the association which includes members from NGOs, cultural institutions, government and other bodies."

MacLellan: Lai Sakita, chair of Vanuatu's new West Papua association.

Since 2000, the Pacific Islands Forum has included the issue of Papua on its agenda, calling for dialogue and expressing concern about human rights violations. But Forum leaders have stressed that they recognise Indonesian sovereignty over Papua, and support the current Special Autonomy process that Indonesia introduced in January 2003.

West Papuan representatives attended the 2000 Forum in Kiribati as part of Nauru's delegation, but later lobbying efforts were hampered by disagreements between groups campaigning for independence.

I asked Dr. John Ondawame whether this disunity was a problem in achieving international support:

Ondawame: "Not at all. We already demonstrated to world community, particularly when we had meetings with the European governments like the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ireland, Finland governments at the beginning of this year, demonstrate to them that we are united.

"We representatives of the whole movement, factions and the civil society and political and social organisations like all the OPM, Papuan Presidium Council, human rights organisations, churches, tribal councils, women's councils are united and with one voice.

"Even when it comes to the negotiations with the Indonesian government, not one party will dominate that discussion but all of us, a united voice, representatives of all those organisations will come together and we have a plan to have meetings, internal meetings before the discussion is taking place.