West papua Concerns Dominate Pacific Leaders’ Agenda as Violence Intensifies
Suva, fiji – November 27, 2024 – West Papua remains a critical issue for Pacific nations, with escalating violence and human rights concerns taking center stage at this weekS regional meetings. Vanuatu first requested a UN fact-finding mission to Indonesia in 2019, a call echoed by other Pacific leaders as tensions rise.
According to Jakarta-based Human Rights Watch Researcher Andreas Harsono, the conflict in west Papua has “intensified” to levels comparable to the most violent periods in the last 60 years, with indigenous Papuans fleeing villages amid clashes between Indonesian security forces and the West Papua national Liberation Army. He noted the conflict is spreading across the central highlands and towards the border with Papua New Guinea.
Louis Mapou emphasized the two primary concerns driving the regional focus: human rights violations and questions of sovereignty. “On a different scale, we face the same issue [in New Caledonia],” Mapou stated, drawing parallels to the struggle for independence and concerns regarding law enforcement practices.
The urgency comes as Pacific leaders express solidarity with the people of West Papua.New Zealand Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono called for Pacific leaders to “talk with the community to get their perspective,their side of the story in terms of human rights violations,” and condemned Indonesia’s recent ”clamping down” on protesters demonstrating against the transfer of four political prisoners.
Despite Vanuatu’s recent political instability – having had five prime ministers in four years – the nation has consistently advocated for the region. Former Vanuatu Prime Minister Bob Loughman Salwai expressed hope for a face-to-face meeting with the President of Indonesia and suggested other MSG leaders could join such a meeting.
