THE VANUATU COUNCIL OF CHIEFS have opened their arms again to embrace a group of West Papuans who are seeking refuge in another country. This group of West Papuans, numbering 148 persons who come from 25 families have been forced out by the sanction of an eviction order served on them to vacate the land on which they have made their homes for the last 30 or so years in the 8 Mile settlement located outside Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Since their original eviction last year, these West Papuan families have been moving around various parts of Port Moresby seeking a more permanent home as they await the hope of a free and independent West Papua.
As it can be seen in a recent article in the National newspaper (07/10/08), the message from the Mal Vatu Mauri National Council of Chiefs is far from being a warm and sympathetic embrace. This group of West Papuans in PNG are entangled in a complex multiple-bind that would defer their hopes for a permanent settlement. While UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) granted them the status as refugees and the PNG Government gave them the status of permissive residency in 1980, both the UNHCR and the PNG Government now want these West Papuans to return home to West Papua.
The West Papuans do not want to return home as yet in fear of their lives. They explain that while the ”UNHCR wanted us to go back to West Papua but the sad fact is that we will be dead when we go back. UNHCR arranged for some of our Melanesian brothers to back to East Awin in 2001 and none of those who got repatriated are alive today; they are all dead”.
The question is if the UNHCR and the PNG Government want to see these West Papuans return home, what guarantee can they provide for their saftey and well-being when they return? Is this a means by which we can easily turn a blind eye to the situation in West Papua and pretend as if all is well and good while we sit back and in complicity, participate with the Indonesian soldiers to continue to kill and murder our fellow Melanesian brothers and sisters in order to suffocate their quest for a free and independent West Papua?
While Vanuatu has expressed its desire and willingess to accomodate this group of destituted West Papuans, international regulations on refugees would not allow this possibility to eventuate. A spokesman of this West Papuan group, Freddy Waromi, mentioned that while the “Vanuatu Council of Chiefs has indiciated to adopt us as Melanesian brothers and sisters, the only problem is that Vanuatu is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Charter”.
Please consider the break-away of West Papua/ Melanesia from Indonesia through Self determination as simple mathematics by executing the following formula:
1. The original 1945 Proklamasi Sukarno-Hatta was from “A till A” (Atjeh till Ambon), NOT including West Papua. Because on that same day West Papua tribal leaders led by Marcus Wonggor Kaisiëpo, issued a statement in Kota Nica to RADEN Colonel Abdul Kadir Widojojoatmodjo of the NICA (Netherlands-Indies Civil Administration) which was governing West Papua. The message was simple: “West Papua Melanesia would determine its own future and therefore will never be a part of the new Indonesian republic”.
As from that moment any historical claim of Indonesia on West Papua is not funded as this 1945 statement widely expressed the Will of the West Papua people.
On this basis the 1947 Canberra Agreement between Pacific States and western states (U.S., Netherlands, France, Ireland Australia, N-Zealand) was signed, recognizing West Papua as a Nation and recognizing it’s Melanesian territorial borders and establishing the South Pacific Commission. As from that moment West Papua leaders attended the plenary sessions of the SPC.
So Indonesia is living in denyal by considering West Papua as an internal question and within it’s own territorial integrity, as Indonesia is ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING the undisputed territorial Melanesian borders of West Papua ever since 1963.
Underlining this illegal basis, Indonesia prooved its democratic INCAPACITY by renaming West Papua several times, divide and conquer- politics, and keeping the world opinion happy by demonstrating democracy by issueing autonomy legislation in 2000, which still has to be implemented. And on top of this, issueing new legislation in 2006, dividing provinces, undermining its own 2001 autonomy law.
Indonesia’s failing attempts for democracy is illustrated with the banning of showing the West Papua Morningstar flag in public, which’s freely expression was adopted in 2001 by the parlement under president Wahid.
2. The revenues of West Papua’s natural resources and wealth (gold, copper nickel, oil& gas, wood) are feeding the economy of the failed democratic state Indonesia. West Papua is Indonesia’s guarantee for economic survival and to avoid bankruptcy of the failed democratic Indonesian state.
See link: http://www.fcx.com/operations/grascomplx.htm
3. According to the Pax Americana doctrine, the Kennedy Administration handed over West Papua in 1962 to Indonesia. Whenever USA’s interest & profits (natural resources revenues) is endangered, the USA will strike Indonesia for its benefit ( see cases of Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq).
So in despite of the brutal and corrupt Indonesian Generals regime and its atrocities, the US will take back West Papua by re-implementing the 1962 New York Agreement to its merites through the the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24), inorder to maintain the Pax Americana Worldpeace.
See link: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB128/index.htm
See link: http://www.house.gov/list/press/as00_faleomavaega/enionwestpapua.html
See link: http://www.house.gov/list/press/as00_faleomavaega/enipayneltrtosusilo.html
It is a Long Way to Go Never Give Up / Persevero !
Insjah Allah / Na Kores Ra Refo
Setia Djudjur Mesra / Trouw, Eerlijk, Innig Verbonden
Kind regards,
Kobe Oser/ Unity
Write to:
Kobe Oser office
P.O.Box 10377
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kobe_oser@hotmail.com
PAPUA MERDEKA!
Thank you for your comments and inspiration. We shall continue the fight for a FREE & INDEPENDENT WEST PAPUA!