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West Papua supporters open office in Australia
ABC Radio Australia - June 24, 2014
The office in Melbourne's Docklands business area is funded by Australian supporters and aims to promote dialogue about the political future of the Indonesian Province of Papua. Ronny Kareni, a West Papua independence advocate, says the office will lobby for support for an independent state.
"The aim of this office is basically to seek support of the UN Secretariat, as well as Australia who is also in the UN as a temporary member," Mr Kareni told the ABC's Pacific Beat.
"[And] to negotiate with Australian Government and even Indonesia Government to enter third party mediation and to look for West Papua's future."
Mr Kareni says he believes momentum for West Papua's self-determination is building. "I'm very hopeful with the physical presence, it shows that the movement is alive and people, if they want to speak, there is an office they could contact."
"Also, in terms of the campaign as well, it's to maximise and get more support from the grassroots and it is the key. From the people, that's where pressure will be pushed upward."
Activists call for action
In October last year, three West Papuan activists briefly occupied Australia's consulate in Bali in a bid to push Australia's Government to take up their cause.
Student activists Rofinus Yanggam, Yuvensius Goo and Markus Jerewon climbed over the wall of the consulate bringing with them a letter addressed to the Australian people.
In it, they asked Prime Minister Tony Abbott to push the Indonesian government to release at least 55 political prisoners jailed in Indonesia's disputed Papua region. The letter also called for greater press freedom for international journalists reporting on the province.
In March, Vanuatu's Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil delivered a speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, saying his country was committed to the independence of West Papua. It followed a rift among Pacific nations over Indonesia's administration of West Papua.
An earlier meeting of the foreign ministers of Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands in Jakarta released a statement acknowledging 'Indonesian control of West Papua'. But Vanuatu, the fourth member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, boycotted the talks and remains committed to West Papuan independence.
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