West Papua

From Radio New Zealand

The secretary general of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua says he is confident in Vanuatu's support, despite the change in government.

Vanuatu got a new government 12 days ago after a vote of no confidence.

The ULMWP's Octo Mote is in Port Vila ahead of this week's Melanesian Spearhead Group summit in neighbouring Solomon Islands, where the West Papuan group will be pushing for full membership of the MSG.

However, he said what the MSG leaders will be focusing on is to try and find the right organisation that is going to represent them at MSG.

He said in order for that to happen, West Papua leaders must be elected, mandated and properly appointed to participate in the MSG.

“We cannot expect anybody coming up from the streets and telling us that we represent these groups of people,” he said  

However, O’Neill emphasised that “we have to do it properly and that is in an orderly manner that we want to allow our brothers and sisters in West Papua to participate.

The secretary general of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octo Mote, says membership is needed to highlight the human rights abuses in the Indonesian region.

The leaders of the MSG, representing Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Kanaks of New Caledonia, meet this week in Honiara.

At least two of the countries are pushing for the ULMWP to get observer status.

Mr Mote says the decision is for the leaders to make.

Solomon Islands is hosting the 20^th MSG Leaders’ Summit from June 18^th to the 26^th.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua was formed last year when Vanuatu hosted a reunification summit for West Papuan representative groups.

This includes groups who are lobbying for independence from Indonesia.

The groups came together to launch a new bid to join the MSG after an earlier application by a West Papuan group was rejected by MSG leaders.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare said his government will endorse West Papua to be an Observer of the MSG and this Observer Status is given only to one united group.

Secretary General of the ULMWP, Octovianus Mote, thanked Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, and his Cabinet, in exercising its decision making mandate on behalf of the people of Solomon Islands.