Decolonisation support

PORT VILA – Vanuatu has reconfirmed its support for New Caledonia’s and West Papua’s decolonisation.

The Prime Minister, Joe Natuman, has told a heads of mission meeting in Efate that Vanuatu is committed to assist the two colonised Melanesian people to gain their independence.

Vanuatu is the only country to back the two pro-independence movements in the French territory and the Indonesian province.

Natuman has asked the ambassador of Vanuatu at the United Nations, Odo Tevi, to assist with New Caledonia’s self-determination at the UN Committee of 24 in the lead-up to a referendum on possible independence due within three years.

Last year, the previous Vanuatu prime minister addressed the UN, asking why the world was turning a blind eye and closing its ears to the lone voices of the Papuan people, many of whom have shed innocent blood because they want justice and freedom. The West Papua National Liberation Front will submit its application for West Papua to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group by the end of the next week.

Spokesman Benny Wenda says all the members of the Front representing different political groupings are currently in the Vanuatu capital, Port Vila.

Wenda says they will submit their application on February 5.

He says it will be an historic moment.

“This is the first time back in our history because our elders also signed an agreement, few times, many times, but failed because of enemy trying to divide that but now this new generation come in and okay this is now we are one voice to form this group to liberate our people.”

Wenda says he is confident the group will get full membership sometime this year.

Papua New Guinea’s Oro Governor, Garry Juffa, has announced he is standing with West Papuans to fight for their freedom.

The governor told PNG FM the PNG government needs to assist the provinces achieve their quest for political independence from Indonesia.

Governor Juffa says the Indonesian government, through its coercive state apparatus, namely the police and army, has treated Papuans brutally, killing more than 700,000 West Papuans since 1965. He says the United Nations-supported Act of Free Choice in 1969 was not democratic nor representative of the majority of West Papuans.

The vote, by 1025 men and women selected by the Indonesian military in West Papua, involved asking them to raise their hands or read from prepared scripts in front of United Nations observers.