Monday, May 6, 2013

1) RI`s FM summons British ambassador over West Papua issue


1) RI`s FM summons British ambassador over West Papua issue
2) MSG talks on West Papua
3) Indonesia protests to UK over Papua group
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1) RI`s FM summons British ambassador over West Papua issue
Mon, May 6 2013 13:56 | 63 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa here on Monday summons British Ambassador to Indonesia, Mark Canning over the opening of Free West Papua office in Oxford, England, last week. 

"I was summoned to see His Excellency the Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa this morning. The Minister conveyed to me in clear terms the strong concern of the Indonesian Government at the opening of a Free West Papua office in Oxford," Ambassador Canning said in a written statement received by ANTARA on Monday (May 6/2013).

During the Monday meeting the ambassador explained to Marty that Britain recognized the sensitivity of this issue for Indonesia. He also reiterated the position of British government over the issue saying that Britain respects the territorial integrity of Indonesia and do not support calls for Papuan independence. 

"We regard Papua as being part of Indonesia. That has always been our view, and this recent development, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the British Government, does nothing to change that," he said.

"We also support the effort of those, like the Presidential Delivery Unit (UKP4), who are trying to address the problems of Papua and hope to see it enjoy the same level of peace, stability and prosperity as the other parts of this nation. I made these points to Papua Governor Lukas Enembe when we met last week,".

We believe that the Indonesian government is genuinely committed to addressing the problems in that region and hope that the efforts will bear fruit" he added. 

Earlier Minister Marty Natalegawa stated Indonesia has filed protest to the British government over the opening of Free West Papua office by Oxford city council in England.

"Recent incident is not suitable to what the British government has repeatedly stated in the past years about its respect towards Indonesia`s sovereignty," said the minister. (*)
Editor: Heru
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2) MSG talks on West Papua
Tevita Vuibau
Monday, May 06, 2013

MSG member countries including Fiji will make a formal decision on the way forward in dealing with the situation in West Papua when they meet at the MSG leaders summit in June.
This was the word from the MSG Eminent Persons Group headed by former Fiji Minister for Foreign Affairs Kaliopate Tavola.
West Papua has been occupied by Indonesia for the past 50 years.
Human rights abuses and countless crimes by members of their armed forces attracted regional and international scorn.
The territory has also been pursuing full membership of the MSG and has received widespread support.
Mr Tavola said the MSG EPG had listened to the views expressed on the issue and noted that there was a lot of support for the West Papua case.
"We do also note that the West Papua case is problematic. There are a number of issues attached to it, for instance there is an application which I understand has been lodged with the chair of the MSG," Mr Tavola said.
"That will take its own process and the leaders will make a determination on that when they meet in June."
He explained that the issue of West Papua was complex and the EPG was taking note of new developments.
"We as a group take note of what is happening on the ground. The application has been lodged and it is likely that the leaders will make a determination in June that will determine the way forward on how we manage the West Papua case."

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3) Indonesia protests to UK over Papua group
                        From:

            
AAP May 06, 2013 4:34PM



INDONESIA has summoned the British ambassador in Jakarta to protest after a group supporting the independence of the restive Papua region set up its headquarters in England, the envoy said.
Mark Canning said he was summoned on Monday to see Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who "conveyed to me in clear terms the strong concern of the Indonesian government at the opening of a 'Free West Papua' office in Oxford".
The Free West Papua group last month established the headquarters in the southern English city, and the opening ceremony was attended by the city's mayor and a member of parliament.
"I explained to the minister that we recognised the sensitivity of this issue for Indonesia," said Canning in a statement.
"The position of (the) British government on this matter is quite clear. We respect the territorial integrity of Indonesia and do not support calls for Papuan independence. We regard Papua as being part of Indonesia."

He stressed that the opening of the office "has nothing whatsoever to do with the British government".
At the weekend, Natalegawa issued a statement saying the office was "clearly incompatible and contrary to the friendly relations that have existed between the two countries".
The issue of separatism in Indonesia remains deeply sensitive, particularly after the bloody secession of East Timor which gained its independence in 2002.
For decades, ethnic Papuans in the mountainous and sparsely populated region have rejected the area's special autonomy within Indonesia.
They have demanded a referendum on self-determination for the region's estimated population of 3.6 million.
The vast area is split into two provinces for administrative purposes, Papua and West Papua, but some - such as the group which set up the office in Oxford - refer to the whole region as West Papua.
Indonesia has strict treason laws and courts have handed down stiff penalties from 20 years' jail to life for people caught with separatist symbols such as the Papuan flag.
Around 130 people are currently imprisoned in Indonesia for peacefully promoting separatism, most of them from Papua or the eastern Maluku islands, according to Human Rights Watch.

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