PACNEWS - INCREASED regional awareness of alleged violence and human
rights violations in West Papua has convinced the Pacific Islands Forum
Secretariat’s Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism (SSCR) to
recommend that it becomes one of the five priority issues to be the
agenda of the Pacific Forum Leaders when they meet in Papua New Guinea
next month.
The recommendation will go before the Forum Officials Committee (FOC) for a final endorsement, when it meets in Suva next week.
SSCR documents obtained by PACNEWS reveal the Sub-Committee decided to
act after an ‘increasing groundswell of support in the region for the
people of West Papua, reflected in part by the media, particularly
social media.’
In addition, the Sub-Committee received three strong submissions from
various interest groups around the region advocating the peaceful
resolution of the struggles of the people of West Papua.
In recommending the Sub-Committee’s suggestion for the agenda issues,
Forum Secretary General, Dame Meg Taylor said since the Leader’s
statement in 2006, ‘proponents suggest that the human rights situation
has deteriorated.’
“The Sub-Committee acknowledged the Forum’s history and regional role in
assisting territories achieve self-determination, said Dame Meg.
The 2006 Forum Leaders expressed concerns about reports of violence in
Papua and urged Indonesian authorities to bring to justice the
perpetrators of serious crimes in the Province of Papua.
Pacific Forum Leaders will be asked to consider the situation in West
Papua and publicly express their concerns over human rights and to
resolve difference between all parties by peaceful means.
In June this year, the Melanesian Spearhead Group admitted the United
Liberation Movement for West Papua as an observer member while Indonesia
was granted associate membership.
From submissions made to the Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism, three possible actions were recommended.
These include a fact finding ministerial group from the Pacific Islands
Forum to West Papua, include West Papua on the UN Decolonisation List
and impose sanctions against Indonesian companies and government
enterprises found to be committing human rights abuses.
However, the Sub Committee recommends that Leaders consider additional
alternative options – ‘to seek political dialogue with Indonesia,
through the Post Forum Dialogue process to discuss human rights
situation in West Papua, seek to engage at the ministerial level through
the Forum Foreign Ministers and direct the Forum Secretariat to
maintain a watching brief and submit a report to the next Leaders
meeting.’
“Addressing the issue of West Papua issue has the potential to create
tension amongst Forum members and with Indonesia given the bilateral
relations members have with Indonesia and its status as a Post Forum
Dialogue Partner, acknowledges the SSCR report.
The decision on whether the issue will be taken up to the Leaders in
Port Moresby next month will be determined by the Forum Officials
Committee. (wavo/wempi)
Source – PACNEWS
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