'MSG denied us' - ULWMP

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) claims the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) failed them when it elevated Indonesia to become an associated member while the organisation was endorsed as an observer.

This was revealed at the closing of the MSG 20th summit at the Heritage Park Conference Centre during a press conference with the West Papuan delegation.

Secretary General to ULMWP Octovianus Mote said, at the MSG summit in Noumea (Kanaky) in 2013, MSG recognised West Papua for self-determination, and at the special MSG leaders meeting in Port Moresby in 2014, a criteria was set requiring West Papuans be united before they could be considered for MSG membership.

“We want to know whether the Indonesia Government followed the same process to apply for MSG membership or not?” Mote questioned.

He claims Indonesia has not fulfilled the MSG criteria of unification with the indigenous people of West Papua, a condition imposed on them but yet denied full membership in MSG.

“We were demanded to do a lot of things, which costs us lot of money but again we were denied and the Asians who never sought the consent of indigenous West Papuans to represents them were elevated in MSG," Mote said.

“Why is the process of applying biased?” Mote asked. “Indonesia has never collected signatures from its integrated region of West Papua, in order to represent the Melanesian people there,” he added.

He further stated that ULMWP was elected by 500 delegates representing seven customary region of West Papua, consisting of more than 257 tribes in July 2011.

Mote said their unification was sponsored by the government and people of Vanuatu, the Malvatumauri National Council of Chiefs and Vanuatu Council of Churches.

 He added the unification and reconciliation was facilitated by the Pacific Conference of Churches on December 2014.

 “We were elected by representatives of the three largest West Papuan coalitions with broad based support from non-affiliated groups, including churches, traditional chiefs, youth and students, NGOs and women’s groups,” Mote stated.