By Josepheen Tarianga and Kizzy Kalsakau Oct 2, 2021 Updated 26 min ago
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Vanuatu has been an ally to the West Papua cause from the very start.
The Papua conflict has persisted for nearly 30 years in Western New Guinea between Indonesia and the Free Papua Movement. In the struggle, over 100,000 West Papuans have lost their lives.
According to the Interim President of the Provisional Government of West Papua and Chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Benny Wenda, this is a critical time in the conflict as it has become a double crisis. The conflict has displaced people from all over West Papua.
Mr. Wenda recognises that Vanuatu has been standing firm in support of the Free West Papua movement from the very beginning and thanks the country on behalf of the movement and all the people of West Papua saying; “The Prime Minister of Vanuatu’s presentation that called on the United Nations to step up in sending human rights officers to West Papua and recalling the result of the Pacific Island Forum in 2019 to remind the Indonesian Government, UN High Commissioner to visit West Papua shows great support to West Papua.”
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Wenda states that the ULMWP and West Papua appreciate the support Vanuatu as a small country with a big heart has steadily provided, saying God is using Vanuatu to liberate West Papua.
West Papua has applied to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). Wenda informs Daily Post that West Papua had applied in 2019 and has recently renewed the application hoping to be accepted as a full member in the next MSG meeting.
“I hope the Melanesian leaders will take the right decision and will allow West Papua as a full member. This is an opportunity, if we wait 10-20 years before West Papua is liberated from Indonesia, the Melanesians of West Papua will be completely wiped out,” he says.
Wenda states that West Papua becoming a full member of the MSG is a significant move for the people as full membership would mean West Papua would be equal with Indonesia and can engage with Indonesia as an equal.
© Copyright 2020, Vanuatu Daily Post, Port Vila.
