West Papuan organization admitted to
participate in Melanesian intergovernmental organization meeting · Group
plans day of demonstrations next week asking for West Papuan right to
self-determination
 |
| Papua |
West Papuans are set to seize a historical
meeting next week to advance their claim to self-determination from
Indonesia.
A West Papuan delegation will participate for the first time
ever in a summit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group
(MSG), an intergovernmental organization made up of the sovereign
states of Papua-New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Fiji, and the
Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLKNS, French acronym) of
New Caledonia (an overseas collectivity of France).
Vanuatuan newspaper Daily Post writes
that the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WMNCL) has
formally asked the MSG to consider full membership for the West Papuan
organization.
Melanesian support is critical for West Papuan pro-independence
organizations, who are trying to internationalize their
self-determination claim. West Papuans consider they need some sovereign
states to support them in the international arena, especially in the
United Nations.
And on the ground in West Papua, the National Committee for West Papua
(KNPB, Indonesian acronym) is planning to organize a day of
demonstrations on June 18th in order to mark West Papuan presence in the
MSG summit. According to Radio New Zealand International,
the KNPB plans to hold marches in Manokwari, Sorong, Yahukimo, Wamena
and other towns. The marches will ask for the self-determination of West
Papua.
West Papua was annexed by Indonesia in 1963, although both were
separate Dutch colonies. West Papuan nationalists argue that, being a
different colony, the territory was entitled to its own process of
decolonization. Following this line of reasoning, Indonesian annexation
was illegal and thus a referendum on self-determination opening the door
to full independence should be organized.
Pro-independence demonstrations are usually crushed by Indonesian
security forces. Waving the West Papuan flag is illegal in Indonesia.
