Matilda Simmons and Tevita Vuibau – SODELPA says they continue to stand with the people of West Papua in their struggle for self determination, their show of support coming just days after a damning report on Indonesian human rights violations in West Papua was released.
SODELPA president Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu made the comments yesterday as Indonesian soldiers arrived in Fiji to help with the rebuilding of Queen Victoria School in Tailevu.
The report titled "We Will Lose Everything," was compiled by a two-person delegation from the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane.
The pair, Commission Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, and Sister of St Joseph from Sydney, Sr Susan Connelly spent two weeks in West Papua early this year travelling through Merauke, Jayapura, Timika and Sorong.
It noted reports of human rights violations by members of the Indonesian security forces had not declined nor had the economic and social status of Papuans improved.
"While we welcome their valuable assistance in rebuilding Queen Victoria School, the school which has produced distinguished leaders of this nation, this should not be a reason for Government's acquiesce on Indonesia's continuing abuse of human rights on West Papua," Ratu Naiqama said.
"Our Melanesian brothers and sisters can count on a future SODELPA Government to support indigenous rights and movements in Melanesia and in the South Pacific".
Launching the report at St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Suva on Tuesday, the Head of the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia, Archbishop Winston Halapua said the Pacific needed to stand with West Papua in their struggle for self-determination.
"The message is, stand strong and do not be afraid, with God nothing is impossible. As the Pacific, we have done this before, standing together recently prior to the Paris Climate Change Agreement talks to raise our voices," Archbishop Halapua said.