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| West Papua and Papua New Guinea |
By FIDELIS SUKINA
The Pacific Islands Forum will convey the outcome of
discussion on the West Papua issue said Chairman of the forum Prime Minister of
Papua new Guinea Peter O’Neil.
He added that diplomacy was the way forward and no other way
but through Indonesia was the way forward to address the issues of West Papua.
He was responding to a question which pointed out the
consensus of the PIF and no real action seemingly a missed opportunity for the
people of West Papua during the forum.
“I don’t see it as a missed opportunity I think we have a
very accommodating government in Indonesia. To talk about rights and self-determination
you would have to talk to Indonesia that is what the Papua New Guinean
Government has been doing for the last few years and we are encouraged by what
we are hearing from Jakarta and it is part of many steps before us.”
He said the forum would bring the discussions to the
Indonesian government, adding that the Indonesian government was cooperative
giving the forum an opportunity to discuss the West Papua issue.
O’Neil stated that the forum would possibly go on a fact
finding mission to the province as part of discussion on West Papua.
He commended Indonesia on their efforts to provide avenues
for human rights and autonomy allocation.
“With the issue of
West Papua we noted some of their concerns and we are calling on all parties to
uphold all human rights of all residents in Papua and leaders have requested
the forum chair to convey the views of the forum to the Indonesian government
and to consult it on the possibility of a fact finding mission to discuss the
situation of West Papua with all parties concerned.”
“We commend Indonesia for promoting democracy and giving
autonomy to some provinces including Ache and we commend them for giving rights
to some of the discussions held today at the forum.” O’Neil said.
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