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Vanuatu’s position on the regional debates on the West Papuan independence agenda remains firm, according to the Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office Johnson Naviti.
Mr. Naviti who is currently with Prime Minister Charlot Salwai’s delegation at the 47th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Pohnpei, told the ni-Vanuatu reporter Moses Stevens the Pacific Coalition on West Papua (PCWP) is clear on Vanuatu’s position.
“When I spoke on behalf of the Vanuatu government when the coalition was being formed in Honiara last year, I had made it clear to the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands that our position was clear always; The support that we declared was not just of the government or one political grouping, but the full population of Vanuatu”, Naviti says.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare who initiated the PCWP is not attending the Pohnpei Forum leaders meeting. He is being represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Peter Shannel Agovaka.
The meeting of Civil Society Organisations held earlier in the week in Pohnpei has resolved that the West Papua issue is now an international issue and should be brought to the attention of the United Nations.
“Interestingly the Small Island States (SIS) meeting Wednesday has not discussed the issue of West Papua”, Moses Steven observed.
Chairman of the SIS meeting and Cook Island Prime Minister Henry Puna announced the acceptance of the Federated States of Micronesian as a new member of SIS; And Tuvalu Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga spoke of how the topic of ongoing issues regarding the benefits of the airspace between Kiribati and Fiji had generated discussions. But no mention was made on West Papua.
The Pacific Coalition on West Papua was formed following division within the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) over the cry for freedom of the Melanesian natives of West Papua.
(The MSG was originally formed to spearhead the independence cause of West Papua and Kanaky)
The Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, the Republic of Nauru, Tuvalu and Kanaky’s (New Caledonia) FLNKS are those that have come out clear on their support for West Papua.
No FLNKS delegate has arrived yet in Pohnpei, and it is not clear if they will be represented at all.
Photo by Moses Stevens - Vanuatu’s delegation to PIF meeting: From left to right – Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Leingkon, Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Matai Seremaiah and PM’s Director General, Johnson Naviti
