SUARA BAPTIS DI TANAH PAPUA

Robert Guba Aisi; Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea to the United Nations

Whilst Papua New Guinea in the past has attempted to promote a peaceful solution in the past, to the West Papuan issue, Papua New Guinea has been most disturbed by the recent violent military-let attacks by Indonesia against West Papuan civilians of Melanesian descent. We have held good relations with Indonesia as they have been moving towards democracy and better treatment of West Papuans, but this intervention will set this back years and could possibly end ongoing negotiations if action is not taken immediately.

This military intervention is almost certainly related to ethnic tensions between the groups and must be prevented, to allow for democratic governance and for a referendum on autonomy as was recently held in East Timor.

We call upon all delegates to support efforts to bring this issue to the Human Rights Council and (should the military presence make this an international issue once more) the Security Council. Papua New Guinea sees this issue as of direct importance and believes that now is the final hope for diplomatic restitution before civil war envelopes West Papua.

This post has been edited by csj on 2 September 2010, 3:27

Papua New Guinea politely asks all delegates to entertain special consideration of the following documentation;

Reports of Indonesion military operations;
Allegations of excessive use of force during police operations;
Alleged extrajudicial killings during previous Indonesian operations in West Papua

The Republic of Indonesia acknowledges Papua New Guinea's statement and respects their opinion. However;
The West Papua region is and shall remain part of the Republic of Indonesia;
Indonesia is not increasing military presence within the province;
The clashes are not due to ethnicity;

At present, we have this to say;

"The Indonesian government asserts that the region voted for incorporation into the Republic of Indonesia by a referendum known as the Act of Free Choice in 1969."

Talks are ongoing whether to administer another democratic referendum within West Papua, and find a truly democratic solution.

Robert Guba Aisi; Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea to the United Nations

The Act of Free Choice, as revealed by declassified US documentation, has had its legitimacy called into question repeatedly, and after consultation with Vanuatu over this matter - coupled with this new round of military intervention in West Papua, leads us to strongly advocate for a withdrawal of military forces, cessation of hostilities and establishment of a proper, independent United Nations investigation of the status of Papuans within West Papua. We believe that legal investigation as proposed by Vanuatu is a logical step towards a proper legal and political settlement of the West Papua issue.

The precedence of the ruling of July 2010 affirming the legality of Kosovo's Independence is one that should be taken into direct consideration when considering the submission of this matter to the International Court of Justice.

Talks regarding West Papua must be held within an open forum, to permit free and fair negotiation that will avoid the mistakes previously made in addressing this issue. The 'Act of Free Choice' that involved less than 5% of West Papua's estimated population at the time is certainly a matter worth consideration at this time, given the situation in West Papua of immediate humanitarian concern.

William Hague
Foreign Secretary

I agree with the Papuan delegate that a UN investigation is needed. The right to self-determination should take precedent here, the people of West Papua must be given a voice.

Murray McCully, New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

New Zealand government shares the British opionion that a UN investigation could be the appropriate way to defuse tensions in the area, and call both Indonesian and Papua New Guinea's Governments to prevent escalation of the crisis.

Indonesia would attend such talks.

However, we currently believe that West Papua should remain as part of the Republic of Indonesia. At present Indonesia shall not withdraw military personnell in West Papua, as we care for the innocent civilians within the provinve that needs our militarys' protection. Independence rallies have been getting more and more violent, and military intervention to keep the peace seems to have worked in the short term, only a long term solution needs to be met at present.

We respect the United Kingdom's and New Zealand's opinion and we thank you for voicing them to us. Indonesia would abide by any UN set regulations regarding West Papua, however, again, we believe the province should remain part of Indonesia. We feel the West Papuan people are safer as part of Indonesia.

OOC


This post has been edited by jamieperry on 3 September 2010, 17:33

Ministry of foreign affairs of South Africa

Self-determination or their right to be annexed by another nation like Papua? We'll see another island like The Hispaniola in that case?

This post has been edited by Ndovlu on 3 September 2010, 20:15