West Papua on PIF agenda

The West Papua community, supporters and a coalition of civil rights activist groups have rallied around the Pacific Island Leaders who will be discussing the West Papua human rights issues this week during the 46th Pacific Island Forum in Port Moresby.
They organised a convoy during midday in Port Moresby in a show of support and to get public attention that this is a issue worth fighting for the people of West Papua.
Human Rights for West Papua People’s Protection Chairman Jeffery Bomay said among the persisting issues that will be discussed in the following days will be for the decolonisation of West Papua from Indonesia, a sanctioned United Nations fact finding mission into the West Papua issues which began in 1961, make West Papua an active participant in Pacific Island regional events and propose for more Pacific Island countries to join the UN Human Rights council and education scholarships assistance for West Papuans at Tertiary Institutions in the Pacific.
PNG Union for Free West Papua Chairman Ken Mondiai said representatives from the PNG Civil Society made proposals that will be put before the forum to discuss this week.
He said the issue was 54 years old and is long overdue and will finally be an agenda in the Pacific Island Forum.
He said the union had received positive response from PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill; however, this issue is a sensitive issue and must be carefully addressed with the consent of the Indonesian Government.
Neles Taudamat whose parents and siblings were killed following the atrocities and violence sparked by secessionist movements for a free West Papua said this was a sign of a turning point in their long history of struggle and he is thankful that finally the voice of many West Papuans will finally heard and discussed to chart a new path for the people of West Papua. PNGFM/PNG Today