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May 25, 2009

PNG defends decision to repatriate West Papuans


Posted at 18:16 on 17 May, 2009 UTC

Papua New Guinea has been defending its agreement to repatriate 700 West Papuans to neighbouring Indonesia.

Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister, Sam Abal, says there’s nothing new about his country’s officials working with their Indonesian counterparts.

The agreement between the two nations’ leaders was announced last week after a meeting also attended by the Indonesian military commander.

Mr Abal says it’s always been the case that his government helps facilitate the return of Papuans who have fled Indonesia should they want to return.

  “There have been for some time quite a few people from West papua on this side but it’s always been our wish to process them, whether they decide to stay in PNG, where there’s always the opportunity for citizenship, but where they’re not able to do that they can be repatriated to a third country. But the best option we always look at is to see if they be returned and be accepted over there (Indonesia)”

News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand


Filed under  //   papuan refugee   repatriation of papuan nationalist  

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May 25, 2009

Papuans seek US support for dialogue with Jakarta


Posted at 21:31 on 08 May, 2009 UTC

West Papua advocates have been urging the United States to apply meaningful pressure on Indonesia for internationally-facilitated dialogue between Jakarta and Papuan leaders.

A member of the West Papua Advocacy Team spoke before a US Congressional panel about threats to human rights and the environment in Indonesia’s Papua region.

The NGO has joined with the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network, or ETAN, in urging Washington to move beyond the current Special Autonomy arrangement in Papua to address the growing human rights crisis.

Their appeal came in response to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s call for a degree of autonomy for Papuans.

ETAN’s John Miller says he doesn’t think the statement signals a fresh approach from the previous Bush administration.

  “The Papuans themselves are saying that Special Autonomy has failed, and that they would like meaningful discussion which we think the US has the potential - because of (President) Obama’s background - to do with Indonesia about what Papua’s future should be where everything is on the table.”

John Miller

News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand

Filed under  //   papuan refugee   repatriation of papuan nationalist  

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