Media Release - PM Morrison heads to Indonesia but not the PIF

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) 

Media Release 30 August 2018

PM Morrison heads to Indonesia but not the PIF

Prime Minister Scott Morrison heads to Indonesia today on his first overseas trip as leader to conclude a trade deal between the two countries.

Joe Collins of AWPA said “although we can expect the usual backslapping about our special relationship there is no doubt that the human rights situation in West Papua will not be mentioned”. 

Its also disappointing that PM Morrison will not be attending the 49th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting in Nauru next week, sending the New Foreign Minister, Senator Marise Payne instead.

AWPA has written to Foreign Minster Payne urging her and the PIF Leaders to continue to raise concern about the human rights situation in West Papua with the Indonesian Government and to continue to press Jakarta to allow a PIF fact-finding mission to the territory as was suggested at the 46th PIF meeting in Port Moresby”. 

AWPA also urges Sen. Payne to support a draft resolution which Vanuatu will submit to the PIF calling for West Papuans’ right of self-determination, to be presented at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, in September 2019.
Ends

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