ULMWP confident PNG to support membership

The Executive of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has complied with the request of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill, to unite and is confident that as the Chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) next week, Prime Minister O’Neil will vote to support West Papua’s application to become a full member of MSG.

ULMWP spokesman, Jacob Rumbiak said the just concluded weeklong meeting in Port Vila has aroused a spirit of determination and unity  ever before to end the genocide of their people in West Papua allegedly by Indonesia.

At the meeting, ULMWP made changes in its leadership, structure, bylaws as well as membership, reported the Vanuatu Daily Post.

The spokesman said the executives have produced clear job descriptions, agenda, action plan and strategic operation for the movement.

“The agenda was submitted by the executive committee, endorsed by the legislative committee and approved by its judicial committee,” the spokesman added.

While ULMWP Executive is attending the MSG Meeting in Port Moresby next week, Rumbiak said Papuans still die allegedly in the hands of Indonesian colonial power.

For instance (before) yesterday a young Leader of the National Parliament of West Papua, Wendi Wenda, 20, died in a suspected poisoning incident after translating (into English) the current situation in West Papua to an international journalist, Rumbiak said.

Speaking on behalf of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association and Vanuatu Christian Council, Job Dalesa called on all churches in Vanuatu to pray for West Papua.

“If West Papua is a global issue then it also requires active global engagement as well,” Dalesa said.

“Australia also has to rethink its foreign policy regarding its bilateral defense cooperation with Indonesia when we speak of global engagement because indirectly, Australia seems to be contributing towards reports of longstanding atrocities in West Papua.”

Dalesa also challenges PNG and Fiji to recognise the positions they have taken regarding West Papua. In addition, he hopes the PNG Council of Churches will adopt a more pro-active role to support West Papua.

On the direct political front at European Union (EU) and Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) in Brussels, Dalesa urged the Government to keep the momentum by appointing an aggressive voice in the absence of former Ambassador to the EU, Roy Micky Joy, to keep knocking and voicing West Papua’s plight globally through the EU and ACP.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST/PACNEWS