Tuesday, September 8, 2015

1) WPAA condemns Foreign Minister for lack of support


2) McCully refusal to act on West Papua shameful & embarrassing

3) Aust/NZ should support a fact finding mission to West Papuan 
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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1509/S00101/wpaa-condemns-foreign-minister-for-lack-of-support.htm

WPAA condemns Foreign Minister for lack of support

WPAA condemns Foreign Minister for lack of support for Fact-Finding mission
West Papua Action Auckland (WPAA) is shocked at Murray McCully’s refusal to back a fact-finding mission for West Papua at the Pacific Island Forum.
‘ It is well past time that New Zealand woke up to the most serious human rights crisis in the Pacific. The blind eye approach is disgraceful in the face of ongoing security force killings and torture not to mention the repression of basic freedoms such as the right to raise a flag or get signatures on a petition,’ said Maire Leadbeater for West Papua Action Auckland.
‘The fact that West Papua is on the Forum agenda for the first time since 2007 is proof that the people of the Pacific want to see change for their Melanesian sisters and brothers. The issue is one of the five key issues for consideration by the 16 Pacific delegations – but apparently New Zealand already has a closed mind.’
‘This year’s Forum has a clear challenge – West Papuan people are pleading for their Pacific neighbours to hear their cries and a fact finding mission is a modest step in the right direction. The consequences of doing nothing would cast doubt on the future of the Forum as anything more than a talk-fest.’
‘The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) opted to grant observer status to the new umbrella group the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. The MSG leaders accepted a 55,000 signature petition calling for West Papuan inclusion in the MSG – the signatures were gathered from people from all across the territory despite severe security force intimidation. This amazing democratic effort must not be in vain.
ENDS
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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1509/S00155/mccully-refusal-to-act-on-west-papua-shameful-embarrassing.htm

McCully refusal to act on West Papua shameful & embarrassing

9 September 2015
McCully’s refusal to act on West Papua shameful & embarrassing
Murray McCully’s position that a fact-finding mission into human rights atrocities in West Papua isn’t needed shows a complete lack of leadership and credibility, the Green Party said today.
“Murray McCully’s inaction on human rights abuses by Indonesia in West Papua is shameful – where’s his integrity?” said Green Party human rights spokesperson Catherine Delahunty.
“The Pacific Islands Forum is the ideal venue to support an investigation into the worst human rights abuses in the region.
“Murray McCully’s refusal to show any leadership on the issue and John Key having another little chat with the Indonesians will achieve nothing.
“We’ve known for some time that there are ongoing, horrific human rights abuses in West Papua.
“Supporting a fact-finding mission into exactly what is happening in West Papua is the very least we should be doing, and yet Murray McCully is only willing to pay lip service to the issue.
“More talk isn’t going to stop West Papuans dying, or finally give them the freedom and independence they desperately want.
“The Pacific Islands Forum is the perfect opportunity for Murray McCully and John Key to stand on the side of justice and with the people of West Papua; instead they’re yet again bowing down to bullying from Indonesia and doing nothing.
There is support around the Pacific for independence for West Papua; an international fact-finding mission is seen as the first step in that process.
“We can only assume that Murray McCully knows that any probe into human rights abuses in West Papua would make for unpleasant reading, and would require Pacific leaders to act in the face of pressure from Indonesia.
“Instead he’s happy to take the easy option and do nothing.
“That makes Murray McCully and New Zealand complicit in the ongoing repression of the West Papuan people, and that’s not something we should be proud of,” said Ms Delahunty.
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Aust/NZ should support a fact finding mission to West Papua

Aust/NZ should support a fact finding mission to West Papua
RNZI reported that New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray McCully said (in relation to a call by civil society organisations for a fact finding mission to West Papua) that
“I haven't seen a role for a fact-finding mission but I think a healthy discussion about this matter amongst leaders will be useful and I think that Papua New Guinea and the chair will bring a good sense of balance and judgement to that discussion."
Joe Collins of AWPA said, “The West Papuan people feel isolated and ignored by the world. They are asking for foreign affairs representatives to visit West Papua to see for themselves the deteriorating human rights situation in the territory, instead of simply hearing the same old mantra that Indonesian is now a democracy and human rights abuses are a thing of the past”.
As it is some PIF countries wonder why Australia and New Zealand are members at the PIF albeit more to do with their lack of progress on climate change.
It is encouraging that West Papua is on the agenda at the PIF and its hoped that the PIF leaders will listen to the people of the Pacific who are calling on their leaders to send a fact finding mission to West Papua.
Instead of trying to downplay the issue of West Papua Australia and New Zealand should show strong leadership on the issue and they would gain the respect of the other PIF leaders in doing so.
ENDS

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