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Silence by Jakarta for commissioner to visit West Papua prompts calls to suspend Indonesia from MSG

Source
Vanuatu Daily Post - March 13, 2020

Len Garae – An urgent meeting between the Executives of United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) and Vanuatu Free West Papua Association (VFWPA) in Port Vila yesterday, has expressed outrage over the seeming silence by Jakarta to respond to the Pacific Islands Forum and ACP calls for Indonesia to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Right into West Papua, to see firsthand the situation on the ground and file a report to the imminent Melanesian Spearhead Group and PIF Meetings in Port Vila this year.

In the current silence by Jakarta to obey the global calls to allow the Commissioner into Jayapura, the frustrated executives of both ULMWP and VFWPA have confirmed the need to work together to lobby member countries to suspend Indonesia's presence from MSG and PIF.

The urgent meeting unanimously agreed that it does not make sense for Indonesia to, on the one hand, strive to offer bilateral assistance to member countries of MSG and PIF, while it continues to send more troops into West Papua while ignoring their call including that of 79 member countries of ACP, to cater for the Commissioner of Human Rights to visit West Papua.

It is the Indonesian soldiers who are blamed for alleged human right abuse in West Papua.

The meeting also heard of Indonesia's increasing military presence in the vicinity of the Mine now that the West Papua National Army (WPNA) has reportedly killed three Indonesian soldiers there.

Despite Jakarta's deployment of more troops into West Papua, the meeting heard that Indonesian soldiers are not trained to enter the West Papua jungle.

The meeting was briefed of WPNA's determination to do everything possible to close the mine. The meeting also heard that the WPNA is now a well-disciplined and self-sufficient military force.

Meanwhile on the home front in Port Vila, both organisations have agreed to the importance of maintaining the same strength of focus by the new Government when it is formed, on the West Papua Struggle and the united stand for the country to gain its birthright of Independence from Indonesia.

They acknowledge the staunch stand by the outgoing Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ralph Regenvanu, and how far the Salwai-led Government has elevated the West Papuans' right to self determination.

"We are praying very hard for the new Government when it is formed to adopt the same stand towards the eventual freedom of the people of West Papua from Indonesian rule", confirms the President of VFWPA, Pastor Alain Nafuki.

Source: https://dailypost.vu/news/silence-by-jakarta-for-commissioner-to-visit-west-papua-prompts/article_a48dc486-6590-11ea-98f9-4f64755cceea.html

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