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Letter to Bob Carr on statement regarding Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) - June 6, 2013

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6 June 2013

Senator the Hon Bob Carr
Minister for Foreign Affairs Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: 6261 3111

Copy to Senator Richard Di Natale
Fax: 6277 5957

Dear Senator Carr,

The Australia West Papua Association is alarmed that in the Australian Parliament on 5 June 2013 you told Senator Richard Di Natale and a Senate Estimate hearing "Australia and the world, Australia and the world recognise Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua".

When and how has the world recognised Indonesian sovereignty of West Papua?

We have seen no mention about sovereignty or a change in the legal or territorial status of the territory of West New Guinea in General Assembly resolution 2504 (XXIV), nor have we seen any mention of world recognition of Indonesian sovereignty in either General Assembly resolution 1752 (XVII) or in the United Nations archival document at http://archives.un.org/ARMS/sites/ARMS/uploads/files/Finding%20Aids/Missions/AG-059_UNTEA.pdf.

We remind you of our letter dated 26 March 2013 raising concerns regarding Australia's legal obligations under Commonwealth law in relation to United Nations General Assembly resolution 1752 (XVII) which was an exercise of the General Assembly's power under article 85 of the Charter of the United Nations to make West Papua as you called it, subject to the Trusteeship System chapter XII of the Charter of the United Nations.

As a minister who has encouraged Australian businesses to invest in West Papua, you have a manifest duty to know whether the territory under international law is an Indonesian Province or is a United Nations trust territory being administrated by Indonesia.

When and how has the world recognised Indonesian sovereignty of West Papua?

We await your response, on behalf of the Australia West Papua Association yours sincerely

Andrew Johnson,
Historical research associate AWPA (Sydney)

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