Melanesian Spearhead Group

----------------------------------------

MSG awaits West Papua

Fiji times Friday, March 25, 2011

THE Melanesian Spearhead Group feels for their brothers and sisters in West Papua, says MSG foreign ministers meeting chairman Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

Ratu Inoke made the comment as the MSG Trade and Economic officials meeting started the 18th MSG summit in Suva.

He refuted claims the MSG had received a request for full membership from the Australia West Papua Association.

"We are all Melanesians but I can confirm that the MSG has not received anything in writing calling for West Papua's inclusion as a full member," Ratu Inoke said.

"We will wait for other leaders and should anything come up, the leaders will discuss on it."

Ratu Inoke said as far as the MSG was concerned, the issue was mere speculation by the media.

Foreign media reports said an NGO, the Australia West Papua Association, had written an open letter to the group calling for full membership of the agency to be extended to the people of the Papua region of Indonesia.

The MSG include Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and the Kanak grouping from New Caledonia.

---------------------------------

MEDIA RELEASE

Ministry of Information, National Archives and Library Services of Fiji

MSG nations feel for West Papua

Mar 23, 2011

The Melanesia Spearhead Group feels for their brothers and sisters in West Papua says MSG Foreign Ministers meeting chairman Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

The Fijian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation made the comments as the MSG Trade and Economic officials meeting kick-started the 18th MSG Summit in Suva. He refuted claims, the MSG had received a request for full membership from the Australia West Papua

Association. “We are all Melanesians but I can confirm that the MSG has not received anything in writing calling for West Papua’s inclusion as a full member. We will wait for other leaders and should anything come up, the leaders will discuss on it,” he said.

As far as the MSG is concerned the issue was mere speculation by the media.

Foreign media reports said an NGO, the Australia West Papua Association, has written an open letter to the Melanesian Spearhead Group, calling for full membership of the agency to be extended to the people of the Papua region of Indonesia.

The MSG include Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and the Kanak grouping from New Caledonia.

-End

----------------------------------

Fijilive

LOCAL NEWS

West Papua seeks help from MSG leaders

March 23, 2011 08:33:38 AM

The Australian West Papua Association (AWPA) in Sydney has written a letter to Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders urging them to discuss and speak out against the deteriorating human rights situation in the territory at the next MSF forum in Fiji. In his letter to the MSG, Joe Collins of the AWPA said the issue of West Papua will not disappear and AWPA believes that as the situation in West Papua deteriorates further it could lead to instability in the region.

Collins urged the MSG Leaders to discuss the deteriorating human rights situation in West Papua and to make a public statement of concern regarding the human rights situation in the territory. “We note that the MSG is to allow Indonesia to attend as an observer at the MSG summit.” he said.

“AWPA urges the MSG to now offer full membership to the Melanesian people of West Papua, to those representatives of the West Papuan people involved in the independence struggle.A precedent previously gave by the MSG to Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) of Kanaky (New Caledonia).”

Adding that they “believe the MSG can play an important role in helping facilitate dialogue between genuine representatives of the West Papuan leadership and the Indonesian Government.” The AWAPA also urged the MSG to do all it can to help facilitate such a dialogue.

The MSG forum begins tomorrow starting with the MSG Police Commissioners conference. The forum is expected to continue for the next few days and will end on March 28 with the MSG senior officials meeting.

By Repeka Nasiko

Call to give West Papua full MSG membership

RNZI Posted at 06:29 on 22 March, 2011 UTC

An NGO, the Australia West Papua Association, has written an open letter to the Melanesian Spearhead Group, calling for full membership of the agency to be extended to the people of the Papua region of Indonesia.

The MSG, which includes Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and the Kanak grouping from New Caledonia, is to meet in Fiji from tomorrow.

The AWPA’s Joe Collins says with the MSG giving Indonesia observer status for the meeting, full membership should now be extended to the Melanesian people of West Papua. He says Papua has been seeking observer status for years and to see that status instead going to Indonesia has left everyone shocked.

“And I think it also makes you wonder about so called Melanesian solidarity. And I think the only way the West Papuans here see it is that by offering them full membership of the MSG it will probably make up for offering Indonesia observer status.” The Australia West Papua Association’s Joe Collins.