2) Vanuatu Deputy PM: Melanesians Being Killed By Asians
3) 30 pieces of silver’- Melanesian Spearhead Group ‘bought by others’: DPM Nathan
4) Papuan students in Indonesian cities fearful
5) Papua Liberation Movement undeterred on MSG bid
6) Indonesian minister ends Fiji visit
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1) Nafuki believes ULMWP membership in MSG will be made in September
Posted: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 8:00 am
By Godwin Ligo
The Chairman of the Vanuatu Committee for Free West Papua, Pastor Allen Nafuki, has said he strongly believes that the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) meeting to be held in Port Vila in September, will grant West Papua full membership into the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
“It was right here in Port Vila, that Vanuatu played an important role in hosting of the reconciliation ceremonies between all West Papua Leaders, and the formation, and the signing of the agreement of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) between all the West Papua Leaders,” Pastor Nafuki told the Daily Post.
He went on to state that: “As a Pastor in a Christian church and occupying the Chair of the Free West Papua Association in Vanuatu, I also strongly believe that it is God’s plan that the West Papua admission as a full member to the MSG will take place here in Vanuatu.
“In this regard I am calling on every Christian Leaders in all Christian denominations and all Christians across Vanuatu to rise in Pray in one accord for this dream for West Papua brothers and sisters to be fully realized in September 2016 here in Port Vila, Vanuatu,” he appealed.
“After the news was received from Honiara that West Papua full admission into the MSG did not happen, I gave a lot of thought about why the MSG Leaders had once again did not grant full admission to the Melanesian brothers and sisters in West Papua full MSG membership.
“What came across my mind is that we humans make plans but God’s will according to His plan and time is what we have to seek and accept.
“So, as of today as I am talking to the Daily Post, I wish to state that my Committee is reviewing plans and preparing an even stronger application which will be submitted in good time ahead of the MSG Leaders’ Summit here in Port Vila in September, 2016,” said Pastor Nafuki.
“Let me reiterate my call on all Christian Leaders and all Christians across Vanuatu to place West Papua Melanesian brothers and sisters for a full membership into the MSG, in the hands of the Almighty God to grant this request in the MSG Leaders’ Summit in September 2016,” Nafuki reiterated.
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2) Vanuatu Deputy PM: Melanesians Being Killed By Asians
Vanuatu’s Deputy Prime Minister has hit out at Indonesia saying Melanesians must speak up for the people of West Papua.
Joe Natuman believes the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is being swayed by outside interests after it deferred making a decision on awarding full membership to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).
“West Papua was forcibly annexed by Indonesia and brutally overthrown. They were in the process of getting their independence in the early 1960s,” he told Vanuatu’s Buzz FM 96. “Now they say we cannot interfere, no, we must interfere. Melanesians are being killed by Asians, we have to interfere.”
He says the MSG is failing to meet its charter.
“The MSG, I must repeat, the MSG, which I was a pioneer in setting up was established for the protection of the identity of the Melanesian people, the promotion of their culture and to defend their rights,” he said. “Now it appears other people are trying to use the MSG to drive their own agendas and I am sorry but I will insist that MSG is being bought by others.”
Vanuatu has been a strong supporter of the ULMWP getting full membership but Papua New Guinea and Fiji say it would undermine Indonesia’s sovereignty. Jakarta has confirmed it has been lobbying Melanesian countries intensely.
“If our friends in Fiji and Papua New Guinea have a different agenda, we need to sit down and talk very seriously about what is happening within the organisation,” said Mr Natuman.
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3) 30 pieces of silver’- Melanesian Spearhead Group ‘bought by others’: DPM Nathan
Posted: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 8:00 am
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trades, Joe Natuman, believes other people are trying to use the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to drive their own agendas, saying it is similar to Jesus who was betrayed and sold for 30 pieces of silver.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) was not admitted as full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group during the Special MSG summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands on July 14, 2016.
“Our Prime Minister was the only one talking in support of full membership for West Papua in the MSG, the Solomon Islands Prime Minister couldn’t say very much because he is the chairman,” the veteran politician told Buzz FM 96’s Coffee and Controversy host Mark O’Brien yesterday morning.
“Prime minister Charlot Salwai was the only one defending Melanesians and the history of Melanesian people in the recent MSG meeting in Honiara.
“The MSG, I must repeat, the MSG, which I was a pioneer in setting up was established for the protection of the identity of the Melanesian people, the promotion of their culture and defend their rights. Right to self determination, right to land and right to their resources.
“Now it appears other people are trying to use the MSG to drive their own agendas and I am sorry but I will insist that MSG is being bought by others.
“It is just like Jesus Christ who was bought for 30 pieces of silver. This is what is happening in MSG. I am very upset about this and we need to correct this issue.
“Because if our friends in Fiji and Papua New Guinea have a different agenda, we need to sit down and talk very seriously about what is happening within the organization.
“And I am sorry but I will insist that MSG is being bought by others.”
Asked what transpired at the Honiara Summit, DPM Natuman said according to the Prime minister’s briefing on his return, there were some misunderstanding on what happened in the Officials’ Meeting and the Foreign Ministers meeting.
“What happened was that they presented to the Summit Leaders something which apparently was not discussed at the officers level so this was the problem,” he explained.
“The issue of Membership was supposed to be presented to the Leaders.
“Instead they present the leaders with a list of criteria for membership.
“This criteria was whether or not organisations or liberation movements should be considered for full membership.
“Finally, our Prime minister was the only one talking in support of West Papua membership, the Solomon Islands Prime Minister couldn’t say very much because he is the chairman.”
On the issue of New Caledonia, DPM Natuman said, “People are now saying we should not be interfering with Indonesia’s sovereignty. But what about New Caledonia? France has held onto New Caledonia.
“In the 1990s, we insisted that New Caledonia was a colonial possession of France, therefore we have the right to intervene .
“And we intervened, firstly we asked the people of New Caledonia to form an umbrella grouping, or political parties to support their cause. So they established the FLNKS at Vanuatu’s request.
“Through that means we promote their issues to the Forum and eventually they were listed in the UN’s listing of colonial territories.
“We have to assist them to get Independence, same as West Papua.
“West Papua was forcibly annexed by Indonesia and brutally overthrown. They were in the process of getting their independence in the early 1960s.
“West Papua is very rich in resources, gold, copper and forests thus a lot of western capitalists were interested in that.
“Now they say we cannot interfere, no, we must interfere. Melanesians are being killed by Asians, we have to interfere.”
The Deputy Prime Minister was part of the panel in yesterday’s 96Buzz FM’s Coffee and Controversy show at the Lava Lounge, which also features Glen Craig from Pacific Advisory and Job Dalesa who is on the West Papua Reunification Committee.
When asked on his opinion on whether MSG in itself has ‘lost its way’ as implied by the DPM, Dalsesa replied,” I certainly think so, West Papua has a lot of enemies. A lot of people are fighting over this area because of its resources, and by fighting you can do a lot of things including buying another country and I think this is what they are doing.
“The divide and rule tactic is a common tactic that has been used for a long time.”
Yesterday’s show revolved around Foreign Policy, MSG and the South China Sea dispute.
Don’t miss out on the next Coffee & Controversy Show, 9am next Tuesday.
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4) Papuan students in Indonesian cities fearful
7:26 pm today
West Papuan university students in various Indonesian cities fear for their safety under close security forces' surveillance.
The Papuan Student Alliance says that last week hundreds of police burst into a West Papuan students' dormitory in Yogyakarta and began assaulting the students.
The students had been planning a demonstration in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's bid to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
Reports are coming through that Papuan dormitories in Yogyakarta as well as Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya and Manado are being tightly monitored by Indonesian police and civilian militia.
An Australia-based Papuan student, Yamin Kogoya, said fellow Papuan students in Indonesia who he's heard from have been afraid to leave their dorms.
"These students, they're not just Papuans, but citizens of Indonesia. They are not allowed to express their voice freely, democratically," said Mr Kogoya.
"And it is very unfortunate to see the Indonesian security forces react the way they did last week. There's no need for... they see the Papuans as though they are terrorists or some sort of criminal organisation."
Meanwhile, an Indonesian military tribunal in Jayapura, Papua Province, has sentenced a soldier to 20 years jail for killing three people, including two toddlers, in Bintuni.
The Jakarta Post reports the judge saying the sentence is higher than the military prosecutors had sought because there were no mitigating factors.
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5) Papua Liberation Movement undeterred on MSG bid
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua says its campaign to become full members at the Melanesian Spearhead Group is not deterred, following the latest MSG leaders summit in Honiara.
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6) Indonesian minister ends Fiji visit
Matilda Simmons Wednesday, July 20, 2016
THE Indonesian Minister of Women Empowerment and Children Protection, Yohana Susana Yembise, says she learnt a lot from Fiji after her two-day visit.
The minister ended her official visit yesterday after attending the 2nd Joint Technical Working Group hosted by the Fiji Government.
The event is part of an MOU signed between Fiji and Indonesia to collaborate in the areas of women empowerment, gender equality and child protection.
The MOU was to strengthen partnership between the two countries to share information and resources for development opportunities.
"In Indonesia we have 250 million people to look after, half of the population are women and 87 million are children. The country is so vast so it is a challenge working under my portfolio. It's not the same here. You have equality already, we don't have equality yet. However, we have learnt a lot from Fiji. The quality of service here is well organised,"she said.
The minister is one of a few Papuan women who have achieved the high echelons of education in Indonesia. She holds a Master's degree from Simon Fraser University in Canada as well as a doctorate from the University of Newcastle in Australia.
"Under my ministry I look after the women and children in West Papua. I want to get more Papuan women to receive the same high level of education," said the Papua-born minister.
The minister declined to talk on the issue for autonomy by her fellow Papuans.
"I am here to do my work, to better the standards of women and children in my country," she said.
Mrs Yembise visited Queen Victoria School on Tuesday as well as Navutukea Village in Naitasiri during her trip. She was accompanied by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Akbar.
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