Australia Papua Association shocked by Indonesia’s inclusion WELLINGTON, New Zealand (RNZI, March 22, 2011) - An NGO, the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA), has written an open letter to the Melanesian Spearhead Group, calling for full membership of the agency to be extended to the people of the Papua region of Indonesia. The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), which includes Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and the Kanak grouping from New Caledonia, is to meet in Fiji from tomorrow.
The AWPA’s Joe Collins says with the MSG giving Indonesia observer status for the meeting, full membership should now be extended to the Melanesian people of West Papua. He says Papua has been seeking observer status for years and to see that status instead going to Indonesia has left everyone shocked. "And I think it also makes you wonder about so called Melanesian solidarity. And I think the only way the West Papuans here see it is that by offering them full membership of the MSG it will probably make up for offering Indonesia observer status." [PIR editor’s note: Indonesia invaded West Papua formerly known as Irian Jaya in 1961. Since then, cases of human rights abuse, torture, and genocide have emerged in large numbers. West Papua continues to fight for autonomy and independence from Indonesia.]