Prime Minister Peter O’Neill of Papua New Guinea has assured the engagement with the civil society will become a permanent session at the annual summit of Pacific Leaders.
For the first time, 25 members of regional civil society organisations held a breakfast discussion with four Pacific Leaders, PM O’Neill, President Tommy Remengsau of Palau, President Christopher Loeak of Marshall Islands and President Peter Christian of the Federated States of Micronesia at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby.
The countries form the Forum Troika.
Speaking to PACNEWS after the breakfast, PIANGO Executive Director, Emele Duituturaga said members of the civil society were impressed with the ‘very engaging’ nature of discussions around the five agenda issues to go before Forum Leaders later this week.
“The President of FSM related to the struggle for independence in his own country and shared strong prophetic words. He said Pacific Island Countries should not allow foreign donors to dictate to them, said Duituturaga.
The Prime Minister of PNG informed civil society organisations that during his term as Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, he will allow for more engagement with them.
Murray Isimeli of the Pacific Conference Churches said they were happy with the level of interest and concern from the Forum Troika.
“From our side, the general feedback from our discussion at breakfast with the Leaders has been positive. They showed care to the issues that civil society raised.
“We said the issue of West Papua cannot wait anymore. It is their shared moral responsibility to act on the concerns over the situation in West Papua.
Isimeli said PM O’Neill was particularly frank in expressing the sensitivities around West Papua for his government but made a commitment to discuss these issues.
PNG has committed to be engaged on the issue and bring the matter to the table.
“The responses from the Leaders took away the discomfort from civil society on discussing some of the sensitive issues. They did not shy away from discussing the issues that we thought were like an elephant in the room.
Isimeli said civil society organisations have asked the Troika to address not just the human rights concerns but support self-determination for the people of West Papua.