MSG Secretariat Received Voluntary Contribution from the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP)

MSG SECRETARIAT RECEIVES VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION FROM THE UNITED LIBERATION MOVEMENT FOR WEST PAPUA (ULMWP)

PORT VILA, VANUATU (14 May 2021): The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat recently received a voluntary contribution of VT1M by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).

ULMWP attained its Observer Status to the MSG since 2015 and as Observers, may propose to make voluntary contributions.

The voluntary contribution was handed over by Mr. Freddie Waromi, ULMWP Office representative in Port Vila, Vanuatu, on behalf of the ULMWP.

Mr. Waromi stated that the ULMWP, in making the voluntary contribution to support the work of the Secretariat, recognised the vision of the MSG leaders and the true spirit of Melanesian brotherhood and respect. ULMWP has voluntarily contributed to the MSG Secretariat in the past.

The Acting Director General, George Hoa’au, acknowledged the voluntary contribution from the ULMWP, as an Observer to the MSG.

Source: FB

Siaran Pers: Pemerintah Sementara West Papua membentuk kabinet dan departemen sebagai pukulan atas kekuasaan Indonesia

Press Release | 1 Mei 2021

Pemerintah Sementara West Papua telah mengumumkan pembentukan kabinet penuh yang memimpin 12 departemen pemerintah di seluruh negeri. Departemen yang baru dibentuk, mulai dari Kebijakan Negara Hijau hingga Pertahanan, memperdalam tantangan terhadap pendudukan ilegal Indonesia di West Papua.

Setelah mengumumkan pembentukan Pemerintahan Sementara pada 1 Desember 2020, United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) telah membangun kapasitas pemerintahan di dalam wilayah jajahan. Langkah terbaru datang setelah Presiden Jokowi memerintahkan ‘penumpasan’ di West Papua sebagai tanggapan atas pembunuhan seorang kepala intelijen Indonesia.

Sejumlah orang West Papua terkemuka di dalam negeri [West Papua] telah diangkat sebagai kabinet, dipimpin oleh Presiden Sementara Benny Wenda dan Perdana Menteri Sementara. Para menteri akan mencakup portofolio sebagai berikut:
(1). Departemen Luar Negeri
(2). Departemen Lingkungan dan Kebijakan Negara Hijau
(3). Departemen Dalam Negeri
(4). Departemen Hak Semua Makhluk dan Keadilan
(5). Departemen Urusan Politik
(6). Departemen Urusan Indonesia
(7). Departemen Urusan Melanesia
(😎. Departemen Urusan Wanita
(9). Departemen Sosial dan Budaya
(10). Departemen Kepolisian
(11). Departemen Pertahanan
(12). Departemen Keuangan

Karena represi politik yang hebat dari rezim Indonesia, sehingga nama-nama menteri kabinet tidak dirilis. Departemen-departemen tersebut bekerja di bawah tanah di West Papua untuk melemahkan kekuasaan Indonesia dari dalam. Departemen Luar Negeri akan memimpin jaringan misi diplomatik ULMWP di seluruh dunia, termasuk UE, Inggris, AS, dan Pasifik.

Departemen Pertahanan akan memimpin Tentara West Papua yang bersatu. Para komandan militer meliputi:
(1). Panglima Tertinggi Jenderal Mathias Wenda
(2). Wakil Panglima Tertinggi Jenderal Goliat. Tabuni
(3). Kepala Staf Kolonel Amos Sorondany
(4). Wakil Kepala Staf Pertama Jenderal Titus Murib
(5). Wakil Kepala Staf II Brigjen Fredinan Warobay
(6). Wakil Kepala Staf Ketiga Jenderal Abubakarak Omawi Wenda
(7). Wakil Kepala Staf Keempat Mayor Jenderal Terianus Satto

Para komandan hari ini mengumumkan komitmen mereka untuk beroperasi dalam hukum humaniter internasional dan hukum konflik bersenjata, dan dukungan mereka untuk pendekatan damai dalam menyelesaikan konflik.

Pengumuman itu datang pada 1 Mei, peringatan invasi Indonesia ke West Papua tahun 1963, yang diperingati setiap tahun oleh rakyat West Papua.

Presiden Sementara Wenda mengatakan: “Pada peringatan 58 tahun invasi ilegal Indonesia ke negara kami, kami mengambil langkah lain untuk merebut kembali tanah air kami. Kami sedang membentuk Negara Hijau pertama di dunia, yang mampu melindungi hak dan kehidupan semua makhluk di tempat pendudukan Indonesia yang telah membunuh ratusan ribu rakyat saya. Hak asasi manusia dan keadilan iklim akan menjadi inti dari Pemerintahan Sementara kami. ”
(https://www.ulmwp.org/west-papuan-provisional-government…)

1Mei #ProvisionalGovernment #NewCabinet #WestPapua #FreeWestPapua #Referendum #HumanRight #ClimateChange #ClimateJustice

Alex Sobel Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) 4:12 pm, 10th June 2021

Safety of Journalists

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:12 pm on 10th June 2021.

Freedom of the press is at the centre of a free society, so I would like to start by talking about West Papua, whose people have been fighting for self-determination from Indonesia for 50 years. In the past month, hundreds of Indonesian soldiers have been deployed to the region and thousands of people have been displaced. In the Papuan struggle for liberation, journalists have been one of Indonesia’s key targets, with restrictions in place on foreign journalists and obstacles to receiving permission to report in the country. Once again, the prominent West Papuan journalist Victor Mambor was targeted in an attack after his reporting of the shooting of two Indonesian teachers in April. Similarly concerning is the fact that the capital of Papua province and surrounding areas have been subject to a month-long internet blackout, complicating the media’s efforts to report on the escalating conflict. The curtailment of journalistic freedom in West Papua is not completely new. In 2018, the Indonesian military deported BBC journalists Rebecca Henschke, and her co-reporters Dwiki and Affan; the crew were deported from West Papua after they hurt soldiers’ feelings when covering the ongoing health crisis in the Asmat region, which involved malnutrition and a lack of measles vaccinations causing a measles outbreak that killed dozens, perhaps hundreds—a lack of reporting means we will never know. According to the Alliance of Independent Journalists in Indonesia, there were 76 cases of journalists having to obtain prior permission to report in Papua, with 56 of these requests being refused.

The unacceptable targeting of media officers in Gaza by Israeli airstrikes earlier this month was another reminder of the importance of upholding press freedom. The freedom to inform is a crucial indicator of democracy and efforts to curtail it often come with human cost. Anna Politkovskaya was a reporter for the independent Novaya Gazeta in Russia and a critic of President Putin. Like many others, I was shocked and horrified when she was shot to death in the lobby of a Moscow apartment in 2006. In the trial relating to her death, the judge was clear that she was killed for her work

“exposing human rights violations, embezzlement and abuse of power”.

The sad reality is that I would no longer be surprised at such a death; it is estimated that 21 journalists have been killed since Putin came to power, and in the great majority of cases no one has been convicted and sentenced for the murders. That is not to say, of course, that the murder of journalists is a uniquely Russian issue. Many other countries have higher death rates, but nearly 15 years after Politkovskaya’s death the space for independent journalism in Russia has become smaller and smaller, while state-backed media have grown stronger and stronger. Many independent publishers have been forced to cease their publications, while Russian state-backed channels such as RT seem immune from accountability. The lack of accountability may or may not be a result of the clear message from the Russian authorities. Action taken against RT in the UK resulted in measures being taken against the BBC in Russia, while the Russian media are free to criticise the BBC as they see fit.

Russia is not the only state on a mission to reduce or remove BBC influence. Last month, I chaired a joint British Group Inter-Parliamentary Union and BBC event on the media in China, and heard how the BBC’s reporting of coronavirus and the persecution of the Uyghurs meant that the Chinese authorities cracked down, removing the BBC World News TV channel outright and banning the BBC World Service in Hong Kong.

Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

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West Papua liberation movement announces provisional govt

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has announced it is forming a ‘Provisional Government’ of West Papua.

The Movement is hoping to achieve a self-determination referendum in West Papua and independence from Indonesia.

West Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda. Photo: RNZI/ Koroi Hawkins

According to the Movement’s chairman Benny Wenda, the formation of an administration is a direct rejection of Jakarta’s plans to extend ‘Special Autonomy’ provisions in West Papua.

Special autonomy was granted almost twenty years ago in response to growing Papuan demands for independence. The provisions, due to expire next year, have been widely deemed by Papuans to have failed to adequately empower them to run their own affairs.

Violent conflict continues to plague the Papuan provinces, while West Papuans voicing independence aspirations are routinely arrested amid ongoing human rights abuses.

Wenda will be the provisional government’s interim president, with the rest of his cabinet to be unveiled in coming months.

He said the new government-in-waiting aimed to mobilise West Papuans to achieve an independence referendum “after which it will take control of the territory and organise democratic elections”.

Indonesian police come out in force to disband to disband a West Papuan student demonstration against Special Autonomy in Papua. Waena, 27 October, 2020 Photo: Supplied
Indonesian police come out in force to disband to disband a West Papuan student demonstration against Special Autonomy in Papua. Waena, 27 October, 2020 Photo: Supplied

Wenda said that Indonesian repression currently rendered elections impossible. But in contrast, Indonesian officials say West Papuans already freely participate in elections in the republic democratic system.

Wenda said that the new Provisional Constitution for West Papua centred on environmental protections, social justice, gender equality and religious freedom. The rights of Indonesian migrants living in West Papua would also be protected.

“The Constitution establishes a governance structure, including the formation of a Congress, Senate and judicial branch,” Wenda said in a statement.

He added that the West Papua provisional government is supported by all liberation groups inside West Papua, “representing the overwhelming majority of the people”.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua is already part of the Melanesian Spearhead Group of countries and territories, which Indonesia is also a part of, although neither as full members.

However despite being recognised regionally in the Pacific and by numerous counties in the African Carribean and Pacific grouping, the Movement has a strained relationship with Jakarta which doesn’t accept that it has a right to represent Papuans.Indonesia's Papua region: the provinces of West Papua and Papua

The Indonesian-controlled region of Papua, known widely as West Papua, in red, on the western half of New Guinea Photo: RNZ

In making the announcement, the UK-based Wenda said that on behalf of the people of West Papua, the “Provisional Government confirms its right to make a Unilateral Declaration of Independence at an appropriate time”.

“Today, we honour and recognise all our forefathers who fought and died for us by finally establishing a united government-inwaiting. Embodying the spirit of the people of West Papua, we are ready to run our country.

“As laid out in our Provisional Constitution, a future Republic of West Papua will be the world’s first Green State,and a beacon of human rights – the opposite of decades of bloody Indonesian colonisation.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Teuku Faizasyah, said the United Liberation Movement for West Papua’s move to form a provisional government was illegitimate.

He told the ABC that Papua region’s incorporation into Indonesia as the successor state of the Netherland East Indies was final.

Source: RNZ

West Papua independence leaders declare ‘government-in-waiting

Province’s breakaway movement nominates exiled leader as interim president as conflict-ridden Indonesian region marks independence day.

West Papuan leaders have declared a provisional “government-in-waiting” of the contested Indonesian province, as the United Nations said it was “disturbed by escalating violence” there, including the killing of a child allegedly by security forces.

The province marks independence day on 1 December, the anniversary of West Papua’s declaration of independence from Dutch colonial rule in 1961 and the raising of its now-banned Morning Star flag.

The Indonesian military took control of the province in 1962, and it has been subject to a fierce separatist struggle ever since.

The independence movement, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), has laid out a new constitution and nominated exiled leader Benny Wenda as its interim president.

“Today, we honour and recognise all our forefathers who fought and died for us by finally establishing a united government-in-waiting,” said Wenda, who is based in the UK.

“Embodying the spirit of the people of West Papua, we are ready to run our country.

“As laid out in our provisional constitution, a future Republic of West Papua will be the world’s first green state, and a beacon of human rights – the opposite of decades of bloody Indonesian colonisation. Today, we take another step towards our dream of a free, independent and liberated West Papua.”

Ahead of 1 December, often a date of significant unrest and violence, the spokeswoman for the UN human rights office, Ravina Shamdasani, said: “We are disturbed by escalating violence over the past weeks and months in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua and the increased risk of renewed tension and violence.”

Shamdasani said in one incident on 22 November, a 17-year-old was shot dead and another teenager injured in an alleged police shootout. The boy’s body was found at the Limbaga mountain in Gome district of West Papua.

She also cited the killing of church pastor Yeremia Zanambani, whose body was found near his Hitadipa district home riddled with bullets and stab wounds. Zanambani “may have been killed by members of the security forces”, Shamdasani said.

“Earlier, in September and October 2020 there was a disturbing series of killings of at least six individuals, including activists and church workers, as well as non-indigenous residents. At least two members of the security forces were also killed in clashes.”

Thirty-six demonstrators were arrested in Manokwari and Sorong in pro-independence protests at the weekend.

Indonesian-controlled Papua and West Papua form the western half of the island of New Guinea.

The people indigenous to the provinces are Melanesian, ethnically distinct from the rest of Indonesia and more closely linked to the people of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia.

The Dutch colony of Papua until 1961, the region was militarily annexed by Indonesia in 1962, and formally incorporated into the Indonesian republic following a UN-backed 1969 referendum called the Act of Free Choice. But the vote was widely condemned as fraudulent, with just over 1,000 selected Papuans forced, some threatened with violence, to vote in support of Indonesian rule.

Indonesia regards Papua and West Papua as integral and indivisible parts of the Indonesian state, and has consistently said it is working to develop the region.

Papua and West Papua are rich in natural resources – Papua’s Grasberg is one of the world’s largest gold mines – but are among the least developed provinces in Indonesia, with endemic poverty and high levels of childhood malnutrition.

Jakarta is currently trying to extend the “special autonomy” provisions that were first introduced to West Papua in 2001, ostensibly to give Papuans a greater share of revenue from their rich natural resources and greater political autonomy. Those provisions are set to expire at the end of the year.

Pro-independence protesters say the special autonomy law is being used to repress Papua’s independence movement, and are demanding a referendum on secession from Indonesia.

Source: The Guardian UK

The story of the plunder of West Papua and the obliteration of a Melanesian people

Talk about West Papua as part of Indonesia…wrong introduction, therefore the conclusion is aslo contaminated with errors. The real reasons as now known, were to do with a deal by US, Australia, Indonesia , and to an extent the Netherlands to plunder the massive natural resources found to exist in West Papua at the time.

Take a look at this shot of the tropical sun rising over the coastal villages of Jayapura, Hamadi and Engross, with Yotefa Bay still sleeping under the Melanesia skies as opposed to Asian onslaught of an unsuspecting and still sleeping defenseless and weak people. Wake up Melanesia, beware the thief lurks.

Today is Indonesia’s Independence Day, which falls on 17 August every year since 1945. But something is very wrong about it claim over West Papua…Papuans know they will never be Indonesian and never were. If Bintang Kejora was flown besides the Merah Putih flag of Indonesia as the Dutch did to set the decolonization process in motion, the story would have differed significantly.After self – government comes independence. Indonesia has ‘colonized’ or occupied West Papua brutally, and its presence has been illegal from day one. The New York Agreement is illegal just like the presence of the javanese in West Papua is illegal.

The commemoration of 50 Years of New York Agreement which paved the way for integration of Papua into the unitary Republic of Indonesia brings into questions more than it answers to an an uninformed or insular world, because the audience has been stage – managed since. History stands to be rewritten.

Papuan intellectual, Drs. Paul Sumino, wrote a political discourse carried by Bintang Papua as the headline this week pointing to the fallacy of history of the integration of Papua into the lap of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). August 15, 2012 coincided with the 50-year deal New York (New York Agreement) which is one milestone in the struggle of Papuans to free their homeland from the clutches of colonizers. Indonesia continued from the Dutch to further colonize after the Dutch were pressured by Indonesia to leave under the the New York Agreement. Some noted political discourses called the transition a maneuvre substitute ‘white’ colonialism with ‘yellow’ or ‘brown’ colonialism so as to continue to transfer the civilizing effect of foreign presence. The real reasons as now known, were to do with a deal by US, Australia, Indonesia , and to an extent the Netherlands to plunder the massive natural resources found to exist in West Papua at the time.

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