The highest ranking lobby team from all regions of West Papua made up of high chiefs say they and their people support United Liberation Movement of West Papua’s (ULMWP) sole application for full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
The team has delivered an assurance to the Chiefs, Government, Civil Society and people of Vanuatu that their people support ULMWP’s application word for word.
The confirmation was made in its first discussions with the Chairman of Vanuatu Free West Papua Association (VFWPA), Mr. Job Dalesa and his Executive in Port Vila this week.
They delivered the message following a similar extensive tour of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji with the same appeal seeking all forms of support from each Melanesian country to support ULMWP’s application for full membership of MSG this year.
The assurance by the team that it is carrying the wishes of the people of Mainland West Papua has been welcomed by Chairman Dalesa and his group since it has erased any rumour of disunity by different groups concerning the ULMWP application for full membership of MSG, at this time of the countdown towards the MSG Summit in Port Vila by mid-year.
This was the “thorn” which was understood to have continued to deny all ULMWP’s applications in the past.
Now what this amounts to is a heart throbbing desire for all chiefs backed by a prayer by all churches throughout Melanesia, for all member countries of MSG to grant ULMWP full membership of its God given right to claim its empty chair in the Melanesian body.
The team from West Papua is led by ULMWP Secretary General, Rex Rumakiek, who is based in Australia.
Mr. Rumakiek has been a constant campaigner for West Papua freedom since the 1970s when Vanuatu was still a British/French colony.
Mr. Morris Kaloran, the Interim Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP), has been praised by Fijians for his successful intervention techniques during the latest Lobby Team efforts.
Mr. Kaloran urged Vanuatu to “pull up its socks” or Fiji would score (a goal) in the next Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Summit in Port Vila.
After listening attentively to the Interim President of ULMWP Benny Wenda deliver his appeal, Prime Minister (PM) Sitiveni Rabuka was reported to have said, “In 1989 before Fiji became a full member of MSG, as the Prime Minister at the time, I applied for Fiji to become an Observer and from there, we became a full member”.
Mr. Kaloran encouraged him to use Fiji’s approach to push ULMWP’s Application to enter MSG, which PM Rabuka found impressive. He suggested to the Lobby Team to start by talking to the Paramount Chiefs of Fiji, only to find out that they had already met with them. The Paramount Chiefs have already invited the Lobby Team to attend their Great Council of Chiefs Meeting in May.
Mr. Kaloran explained to PM Rabuka how the Prime Minister of Vanuatu will be petitioned by the chiefs through custom to contribute towards the culmination of their request to enter MSG.
The Interim Deputy Minister, who is married to a Fijian woman from the vicinity of Rewa, returned to Port Vila after a week of lobbying the three pillars of Fiji Society: the Paramount Chiefs of the three Regions of Fiji, the Suva-based Pacific Council of Churches, and the Fiji Government. The Fijians treated them well, and even their political parties have youth representatives who met with them during their lobbying efforts.
The Interim Deputy Foreign Minister praised how the Fijians treated them and their thorough preparations for ULMWP across the board.
The Fijians met them at the airport with relevant Government Officials, provided official transport to all their venues based on their itinerary, and paid for all their meals.
Though the Prime Minister was too busy with the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) in Suva, he still made time to meet with them in Nadi.
The Interim Deputy Foreign Minister stated, “Perhaps what we in Vanuatu should learn from Fiji is that when such leaders come to meet certain leaders in Government, the Ministry responsible should immediately connect with the relevant Ministries to cater for such meetings”.
He suggested more practical support for ULMWP, including fundraising activities such as in Australia, Holland, and elsewhere.
Mr. Kaloran suggested that the Vanuatu Government provide diplomatic passports for Mr. Wenda’s team, as they carry Australian and British passports. He said that Vanuatu provided funding for uniting the major factions of West Papua to form ULMWP in 2014.
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