West Papua lobbying

The New Zealand-based Indonesia Human Rights Committee says it will continue to lobby the Pacific Islands Forum to push for West Papua’s independence.

A campaign for human rights and self-determination for West Papua began this week, with support from the ethical cosmetics brand Lush.

Demonstrations are being held throughout stores in Australia and New Zealand, including hanging the Morning Star flag – banned by Indonesian authorities – in shop windows.

Maire Leadbeater from the Auckland-based Indonesia Human Rights Committee (IHRC) says her advocacy group will keep trying to get the Pacific Islands Forum, which meets in the Cook Islands next week, to stand up for the rights of West Papuans.

”Before Indonesia took control in the 1960s, it was heading towards becoming part of the Pacific community of nations,“ she told Radio New Zealand International.

”They still want to be part of the Pacific – it’s how they feel ethnically, culturally, geographically. So we always appeal to the Forum.

”The last few years sadly, they’ve been deaf. It’s in the too hard basket for the more powerful nations in the Pacific Islands Forum – Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately the smaller nations who are more sympathetic and supportive, sometimes their voices just don’t get heard.“