By PNG Bulletin Online
September 19, 2021
The Kikori MP and Foreign Affairs Minister Soroi Eoe is the acting Prime Minister.
https://thepngbulletin.com/news/pm-marape-to-attend-76th-united-nations-general-assembly-eoe-will-be-acting-pm
...ends.
In 2019, the Opposition Leader Belden Namah asked a series of questions to the Prime Minister James Marape on the West Papua issue.
Read, here:
https://www.facebook.com/218211022087585/posts/528637241044960/
Earlier, in 2014, Belden Namah issued a similar challenge.
Read, here:
https://www.facebook.com/218211022087585/posts/329836157591737/
The humanitarian crisis unfolding daily across the border calls for international intervention by the UN, and international community.
Read, here:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/11/we-are-living-in-a-war-zone-violence-flares-in-west-papua-as-villagers-forced-to-flee
Indonesia was among 14 other countries including the US who blocked the UN protocol on Responsibility To Protect Doctrine or or R2P Doctrine.
In the aftermath of the UN ratification of the Responsibility To Protect Doctrine or or R2P Doctrine Indonesia stepped up military operations in its restive region, West Papua.
Since 1960s, indigenous Melanesian Papuans have demanded independence from the Dutch colonial masters, and for decades since the seccesionist movement has survived the occupation industry run by Indonesia.
The PNG Prime Minister is attending the UN General Assembly 74th annual meeting to represent the country, to reinforce internationalism and world peace.
It would worry the Prime Minister that international opinion, and the tide of history has changed, with West Papua's case for independence compelling.
He is under compulsion to change he himself to speak on West Papua at the UN General Assembly 74th meeting.
Here is why.
(1) West Papua already put its case for self rule to the international community including the UN General Assembly for resolution beginning with MSG, PIF, and ACP countries.
After Indonesia invaded the former Dutch colony in 1962, the Dutch were forced to leave under a deal brokered by the UN under the New York Agreement. It paved the way for the occupation industry run by Indonesia to kick in.
Independence demanded by indigenous Melanesian Papuans initially from the Dutch colonial masters was suppressed over the decades since Indonesia took control of the former colony, with collusion by the UN.
The Cold War Era left the US little choice but allow Indonesia to take control in order to stop the spread of communism into Australia. And, as such defend freedom and democracy in the world as the US defined it.
In other words, Indonesia would do it for the US and the free world. The story changed over the decades. West Papua under Dutch colonial control was dubbed the ' last bastion of the free world'.
It still is because of the colonial context. Only, the Dutch promised freedom. Indonesia called the independence struggle a 'security problem' that is to be flushed out.
(2) The negotiations on independence for West Papua through dialogue and peaceful means is critical today.
It begins with Indonesia taking the first step to complete the process of decolonisation started in 1961.
Within 10 years from 1961, West Papua was to be independent and free of colonial domination and control by 1971.
(3) Indonesia is to be called on by the international community to meet the bar of international law, and therefore, international best - practice.
It means the humanitarian crisis in West Papua needs a better definition to reflect correctly the inalienable human rights for its subjects including self determination.
(4) Indonesia can afford to get it right as a member of the UN Human Rights Council on two tenets of internationalism:
(1) under international law; and,
(2) UN Protocol On Responsibility To Protect Chapter 1 and 2.
The label given to degrade the independence struggle as terrorist is a fundamental shift set from to colonial context of the West Papua issue.
(5) In recent months numerous reports coming out of West Papua of entire communities being emptied came in the wake of the independence struggle being labelled as terrorist.
(6) PNG foreign policy on West Papua is ambiguous. But, incremental steps have been consolidated to consider the international best - practice in dealing with to the West Papua issue
The independence struggle in West Papua is the UN' s unfinished business.
Read, here:
https://southeastasiaglobe.com/west-papua-independence/
Prime Minister James Marape's predecessor Peter O'Neill had a coherent as strategy to escalate the West Papua issue to the UN General Assembly for resolution.
Read, here:
https://www.fijitimes.com/west-papua-issue-a-sensitive-subject/
PNG, next move. Please!
