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Melsol calls on senior officials meeting to put West Papua on the agenda of the Pacific Islands Forum

Media Release - October 6, 2005

Melanesian Solidarity National Facilitating Committee for Free West Papua, Papua New Guinea is calling on the Senior Official currently meeting in Suva, Fiji to put West Papua as a separate agenda on the Pacific Islands Forum agenda. The Senior Officials meeting in Suva are formalising the agenda for the leaders to discuss at the Pacific Islands Forum to be held in Port Moresby from the 24th -- 29th October 2005.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, Mr. Kawowo said the committee understands that this is a delicate agenda, but we believe if the Pacific Islands Forum is to continue to be relevant then it must confront such issues which are important to the lives and democratic rights of the people of the Pacific region.

We are urging the Senior Officials meeting to please open the door of custody to freedom our brothers and sisters of Melanesian West Papua to enjoy air of freedom and join our beautiful Melanesia and Pacific nations.

Mr. Kawowo said "Since the so-called Act of Free Choice, the West Papuan people have suffered persistent and horrible abuses at the hands of the Indonesian government. The Indonesian military and security forces have engaged in widespread violence and extrajudicial killings in West Papua.

They have subjected Papuan men and women to acts of torture, disappearance, rape, and sexual violence, thus causing serious bodily and mental harm. Systematic resource exploitation, the destruction of Papuan resources and crops, compulsory (and often uncompensated) labour, transmigration schemes, and forced relocation have caused pervasive environmental harm to the region, undermined traditional subsistence practices, and led to widespread disease, malnutrition, and death among West Papuans".

Furthermore urge all the Senior Officials to officially request the Secretary General of Pacific Islands Forum Mr. Greg Urwin to put West Papua on the Agenda of the Pacific Islands Forum for deliberation and granting of observer status to the Pacific Islands Forum similar to other non-self governing territories of Kanaky (New Caledonia) and Te Ao Moahi (French Polynesia). Said Mr. Kawowo, who is the committee secretary and also Executive Board Member for Pacific Concerns Resources Centre based in Suva, Fiji Islands.

For further information, please contact Melsol National Facilitating Committee Secretary and NFIP/PCRC Executive Board Member for Region 2A (PNG, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands) Mr. John Kawowo on mobile 00 (675) 688 3192 /phone 00 (675) 310 8213.
 
 

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