AWPA supports Kubuabola

THE Australian West Papua Association says it's encouraged by the statement by MSG meeting chairman and Foreign Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, that "the Melanesia Spearhead Group feels for their brothers and sisters in West Papua".

In a statement Joe Collins of AWPA said, "We urge the MSG to grant West Papua membership at the leaders summit.

"They would have the support of the Melanesian people across the region in granting West Papua membership."

The association said it noted that in a poll by the Pacific Institute of Public Policy (PiPP) that "42 per cent also included West Papua" as part of the Melanesian family and that a clear majority of respondents across Melanesia said yes to the question, 'Do you support independence for West Papua?'

According to a PiPP statement, when asked who they considered part of the Melanesian family, a clear majority of respondents included the established members - PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia ù while 42 per cent also included West Papua, 17.1 per cent included Australia, 14.9 per cent included Indonesia and 14.1 per cent included Timor Leste.

Another question posed was "Do you support independence for West Papua?'

A clear majority of respondents across Melanesia said yes, with very high support in PNG (89.3 per cent) and Vanuatu (88.2 per cent).

The PiPP statement said this suggested a disconnection between popular support and the position taken by governments in the region, except Vanuatu, which has long championed the West Papuan cause at the political level.

AWPA's Mr Collins said, "We see that in the poll only 14.9 per cent of respondents considered Indonesia to be part of the Melanesian family yet Indonesia has observer status but not West Papua.

"For the sake of the long term stability of the region, we hope West Papua will be discussed at the leaders meeting."

Source: http://www.fijitimes.com/