Sunday, June 28, 2015

1) Reaching out across Melanesia

2) West Papua makes history with political recognition

3) Papua police send investigation team to Dogiya village

—————————————————————————————

1) Reaching out across Melanesia

MSG leaders endorse engagement with Indonesia and West Papua
By Nic Maclellan in Honiara Sun 28 Jun 2015

The five-member Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has made an historic decision to expand its reach, with the granting of associate member status to Indonesia, and observer status to the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP).
The decision on West Papua was formally announced at the final plenary of the 20th MSG leaders’ summit, held this week in Honiara.
Summit host Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of Solomon Islands said “the summit was conducted in the true Melanesian spirit of consensus and dialogue.”
Yesterday, Sogavare was joined in the leaders retreat by Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, FLNKS representative Victor Tutugoro of Kanaky/New Caledonia and Johnson Naviti, Director General of the Office of the Prime Minister in Vanuatu.
The ULMWP had applied for full membership of the sub-regional organisation, but in their Thursday retreat, the MSG leaders agreed that “the ULMWP be admitted as an observer under the regional and international category representing Melanesians living abroad.”
Indonesia has been an MSG observer since the 2011 MSG summit in Fiji. This week, in the presence of a delegation led by Indonesian Vice Foreign Minister Dr. A.M. Fachir, the island leaders approved “that associate membership be accorded to Indonesia representing the five Melanesian provinces in Indonesia.”
In the final plenary, the MSG member countries presented closing statements, followed by presentations by the Indonesian Vice Foreign Minister and ULMWP Secretary General Octo Mote. Both acknowledged the historic nature of this week’s decision, but agreed to differ on Indonesia’s human rights record. 
In their final communique, the leaders endorsed a series of reports and declarations, covering trade, policing, sports, violence against women, emergency response co-ordination and nuclear waste transhipments through island Exclusive Economic Zones.
A key decision endorsed the Implementation Framework for the MSG 2038 Prosperity for All Plan, an overarching regional strategy adopted at the last summit in Noumea.
With a major focus on trade, finance and connectivity, the leaders call for the finalisation of negotiations on the legal text for the third phase of the MSG Trade Agreement (MSGTA3) by October, before an MSG Trade Ministers Meeting later this year. Papua New Guinea will fund a major study of shipping, as part of a major focus on improving transport networks and communications across the MSG region.
In the closing ceremony, the five country representatives signed agreements establishing a Regional Police Academy and the legislative framework for the creation of an MSG Formed Police Unit (FPU).
As well as an MOU on technical co-operation in coastal fishery and aquaculture and an MSG Roadmap, leaders updated their twenty-year old Lakatoro Declaration on the Denuclearisation of the Pacific, with a new MSG Declaration on the Transhipment of Nuclear Waste and Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste.
Solomon Islands has offered to host an MSG youth hub to serve as a centre of excellence on youth development.
Leaders agreed to defer consideration of some issues, including the appointment of a new MSG High Level Representative to replace Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola of Fiji. With reservations expressed by Papua New Guinea, leaders also deferred discussion on proposals to establish an MSG Defence Ministers Meeting.
[There will be full coverage and analysis of the MSG summit in the July edition of Islands Business magazine.)
—————————————————————————-
2) West Papua makes history with political recognition
JUNE 26, 2015
Observer status has today been granted to West Papua by the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) sub-regional bloc.
After over 53 years of political struggle for the right to self-determination, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) representing West Papuan, was today granted Observer status by the 20th MSG Leaders summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
The ULMWP executives and secretariat welcomed the decision of the MSG leaders on behalf of the people of West Papua, describing it as a historic decision for West Papua.
ULMWP Secretary General, Octovianus Mote thanked Melanesian leaders: “We the United Liberation Movement for West Papua applied for full membership at the instruction of the MSG leaders in 2013 and 2014. Despite not getting full membership we welcome the decision of the leaders as it our first step to full political recognition.”  
Mote said political recognition allows ULMWP representing West Papua to be on the inside with Indonesia for the first time in history.  It is a first step to address the ongoing atrocities suffered by our people at the hands of successive Indonesian governments.
“I thank our leaders in Melanesian, especially the leaders from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and FLNKS (Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste – New Caledonia) for publicly supporting us in this quest. Your public support for our struggle gives our people hope that you have heard our cries, they affirm that we are part of this Melanesian family” he said.
Mote added that: “whilst this is the first step for West Papua, we will be working towards full membership into the MSG family.  But our struggle for political recognition will not stop here, we will take it to the regional and international level as we are a nation in waiting”.
The Pacific winds of change have made it impossible for Melanesian leaders to ignore rapidly growing support for West Papua. ULMWP spokesperson, Benny Wenda thanked the people of Melanesia and the solidarity support from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, FLNKS (Kanaky), Fiji and PNG, adding that it was their support and prayers that brought the movement this far.
“The people of Melanesia have made our cause for self-determination now your cause.  I would like to thank our Pacific family, especially our Melanesian people, the solidarity groups, civil society groups, young people, university student movements, churches, women’s groups, traditional chiefs, and parliamentarians, political leaders and the media who stood with us to get this recognition,” said Wenda.
He also thanked the people of West Papua, the migrant population, the churches and Muslim faith for their overwhelming support through petitions despite the real risks of doing so: “your signatures clearly speak the volume of support,” said Wenda.
“West Papua is a Melanesian and regional issue for the Pacific. Today we will raise the morning star flag to mark this historic moment of political recognition,” he said.
“With the Melanesian family firmly behind us, we now take our message to the world,” said Wenda.
The MSG summit in Noumea (Kanaky) in 2013 had recognized West Papuan self-determination. At the special MSG leaders meeting in Port Moresby in 2014, a criteria was set that West Papuans be united before they could be considered through an application for MSG membership.
The ULMWP was elected by 500 delegates representing seven customary regions of West Papua, consisting of more than 257 tribes in July 2011. Our unification was sponsored by the government and people of Vanuatu, the Malvatumauri National Council of chiefs, Vanuatu Council of Churches and facilitated by the Pacific Conference of Churches in December 2014.
We were elected by representatives of the three largest West Papuan coalitions with broad based support from non-affiliated groups, including churches, traditional chiefs, youth and students, NGOs, and women’s groups.
For more information:
Benny Wenda Spokesperson of the ULMWP
Mobile: +677 7362591
Joey Tau
Acting ULMWP Media Advisor Email: jtaurakava@gmail.com Mobile: +6777364058
End

—————————————————————————-

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/99350/papua-police-send-investigation-team-to-dogiya-village

3) Papua police send investigation team to Dogiya village

Minggu, 28 Juni 2015 20:25 WIB | 466 Views
Jayapura (ANTARA News) - The Papua provincial police have sent a seven-member team to Dogiyai district to investigate the shooting case at Ugapuga village on Thursday.

"The team left for the scene on Saturday morning (June 27) and arrived at Nabire Airport at around 09.15 a.m. eastern Indonesian time by Trigana Air flight," Head of the Public Relations Service at the Papua Provincial Police Station Senior Commissioner Patrige said here on Sunday.

The team led by Adjunct Senior Commissioner Darma Suwandito will help investigate the shooting case which left the 23-year old Menase or Yoseni Agapa dead, he said

"Before proceeding their journey by land to Dogiya, the team of the Papua provincial police took a rest at the KP2 post en route to the scene as part of preparations to conduct the investigation, he said.

Menase or Yoseni Agapa (22), a resident of Ugapuga village, Dogiai district was shot dead when a group of people from Manase or Yoseni Agapa, blockaded trans Nabire-Paniai highway and extorted money from motorists.

The shooting occurred when a car carrying a number of people passed through the village on their way from Paniai district to Nabire district.

(Reported by Alfian Rumagit/Uu.S012/B003)
———————————————————————-

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.