A Motion on Foreign Policy regarding West Papua had been passed in the Vanuatu Parliament

 West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL

    P.O. Box 1571, Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu, Ph: +678 5616733, Mb: +678 5540090 E-mail: ayamiseba@yahoo.com.au, awulkeweng@yahoo.com

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20th June 2010.

A Motion on Foreign Policy regarding West Papua 

had been passed in the Vanuatu Parliament.

Yesterday, on 19th of June 2010, during the Parliament Extra ordinary sitting, the head of the Government, Hon. Prime Minister, Eduard Natape MP, and the leader of the Opposition Hon. Maxime Carlot Korman MP jointly sponsor a Motion in Parliament to declare Vanuatu’s Foreign policy regarding West Papua. It was passed with bipartisan support to become a Bill of Parliament. The initial move was made by Independent Member for Port Vila, Hon. Ralph Regenvanu MP. During the 31st of May ordinary session Hon. Regenvanu tabled a Petition on behalf of the People of Vanuatu [Petition of the People of Vanuatu] calling for clear foreign policy on West Papua. This is a significant development and indeed a historic one. This “Wantok blong yumi” Bill will allow the government to develop specific policies on how to support the independence struggle of West Papua. The following proposals from the Peoples’ Petition could become policy instruments of the Bill:

1.  Sponsor and pass a motion in national Parliament officially declaring that Vanuatu’s foreign policy is to support the achievement of the independence of West Papua;

 

2. Sponsor a resolution at the 2010 Melanesian Spearhead Group’s Leaders Summit that the independence movement in West Papua be given Observer Status at the MSG;

 

3. Sponsor a resolution at the 2010 Pacific Island Forum Leaders Summit that the independence movement in West Papua be given Observer Status at the Forum;

4. Sponsor resolutions to the Melanesian Spearhead Group’s Leaders Summit, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Summit and the United Nations calling for fact-finding missions be sent by each of these bodies to West Papua to investigate alleged violations of the human rights of it’s Melanesian populations;

 

5. Become the official state sponsor of the case of West Papua in the International Court of Justice seeking a judgment on the legality of the 1969 “Act of Free Choice”;

 

6.  Sponsor a resolution in the United Nations to put West Papua back on the United Nations’ list of Non-Self-Governing Territories;

 

7. Create a West Papua Desk in the Department of Foreign Affairs with a budget sufficient to facilitate the Government’s international advocacy efforts in support of West Papua’s independence;

 

8. Ratify the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, to provide Vanuatu with an avenue for additional support to the people of West Papua.

In his address, responding to the bipartisan support for the Motion the Prime Minister, Hon. Edward Natape MP promised that he will sponsor the issue of West Papua to MSG and PIF-meetings. He will propose that the independent movement of West Papua be granted Observer Status with these two regional bodies. The Honorable Prime Minister also stated that his government will proceed to apply for West Papua to be relisted with the UN Decolonization Committee in order for the Territory to be given the due process of Decolonization.

Representatives from the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation, Dr. John Otto Ondawame (Vice Chairman) and Mr. Andy Ayamiseba (Vanuatu Mission) were very grateful to the government, the opposition and the people of Vanuatu for this very historic undertaking on the issue calling a clear foreign policy of the Government of Vanuatu in supporting the independence of West Papua. We also express our special thank goes to all members of the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association for their endless support in the past seven years urging the Government of Vanuatu to declare its clear foreign policy on independence of West Papua, which calls were ended with a successful story nduring the Extra Ordinary Parliamentary session on 19th June 2010 in Port Vila. 

For the information, please contact Dr. Otto Ondawame (+678 5616733) and Andy Ayamiseba (+678 5540090). 

Prime Minister pays tribute to late Ondawame at UN

Head of West Papua Mission Andy Ayamiseba (left) and Dr. Ondawame in a pose few months before his death - By Len Garae

Prime Minister Joe Natuman’s decision to pay tribute to the late West Papuan freedom fighter, Dr. John Otto Ondawame from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 29, was and is an indication of how close to the heart Vanuatu and its people hold the continuing suffering of the people of the Melanesian country in the Indonesian military strangled hold, and their determination to see the West Papuans finally free of colonial bondage.

The Prime Minister said Dr. Ondawame was a freedom fighter from West Papua who passed away last month while in exile in Vanuatu. “He was laid to rest in my country as a hero who had fought for the rights to self determination for the people of West Papua. He and other martyrs had a dream that one day the United Nations and all nations advocating and promoting the democratic principles will hear their cries and deliver the promise of a self-determined future. At his funeral service, I stated that his struggle for freedom and justice will continue to be our struggle until colonialism is eradicated”, the Prime Minister said.

While the Prime Minister focused on the late Ondawame, he said there are many other heroes in many countries that are still voiceless and are suffering in silence either due to unilateral policy choices or because of ignorance by the multilateral system. “My country is encouraged by the onset of flexibility exercised by the United States of America towards the Cuban people. I believe the willingness for dialogue and consideration is a responsible gesture that will slowly open the door for a better future for all Cubans. We as individual countries must be ready to be a voice of the voiceless. Bigger and richer countries must be the burden bearer for small nations. In doing so, we demonstrate the willingness to live as a village, a world community of friends and not aggressors. I want to stress that the only way to address this issue is through dialogue and unity. It is our moral responsibility not to fail those who have been victims of past ignorance”, he said.

The Prime Minister began his address by congratulating the people of the Republic of Fiji Islands for successfully and peacefully electing a new democratic Government. “My Government commends the people of Fiji for their resilience and steadfastness and I wish to congratulate the newly elected prime Minister, for fulfilling his promise to the international community to successfully lead his country to a democratic election”, he said.

The first diplomat from a member country attending the UNGA to congratulate him for his staunch address was Fiji’s own Minister for Foreign Affairs, Inoke Kubuabola.

Representatives of Foreign Missions from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific also congratulated the Prime Minister for his eye opening address.

Source: Daily Post