Solidarity group & ULMWP call for revival of support for West Papua
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
SOLOMON Islands solidarity group for West Papua is calling on the national government to bring to parliament a bill supporting West Papua.
This call is in collaboration with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), whose spokesperson, Mr Jacob Rumbiak, is here in Honiara to meet with community leaders over the issue of West Papua.
Mr Rumbiak has been in the country for nine days on his mission to revive the West Papua issue, which had been heightened by the Sogavare-led government two years ago.
He said they are to discuss and share on what exactly they will put together for the future of West Papua based on the United Nation (UN) mechanism.
ULMWP is pleading that Solomon Islands does not lose the vigour that it once had under former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, which showed the true Melanesian spirit.
“It is very clear that the former Sogavare Government’s policy, sovereignty, liberty and dignity are on the right track so it should continue,” said Rumbiak.
“Our message is we hope to stand together. All leaders of Solomon Islands should unite. Indonesia entering the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is messing things up. It is the same thing we are experiencing for 56 years now.
“This type of leadership defying all rules and taking control of everything is the same in Indonesia.
“So I am here to meet with grassroots leaders, NGOs, church leaders, women leaders, students and youths because they are the right people who have the power to mandate their representative in Parliament to Bill support so that we solve West Papua’s political right at the UN.”
He said this includes the global community who are sympathetic of the West Papuan cause.
Rumbiak leaves the country today, but will be back after two weeks once receiving information for the exact time of Parliament sitting around mid-year July from the Solomon Solidarity for West Papua in the country.
