Seven Pacific Countries To Draw Papua Again, Indonesia Upset

News Portals: Tuesday May 16, 2017 - 16:12 pm Maps of Papua, Indonesia. The Indonesian government rejected claims by seven Pacific nations about the ACP meeting in Brussels this month to discuss West Papua for self-determination. (Photo / Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Indonesia is upset and rejected claims by seven Pacific nations that the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) meeting held this month in Brussels will discuss West Papua to determine its own destiny. Indonesia denies the Indonesian Embassy in New Zealand on Monday (15/05/2017).

The ACP Council of Ministers in Brussels claimed to have heard a joint statement of seven Pacific states concerning West Papua. The seven Pacific countries are Vanuatu, Solomon Island, Tonga, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau and Marshall Island.

In a joint statement, the seven Pacific nations condemned Indonesia's human rights abuses in West Papua. In addition, they called for a resolution supporting the political right of West Papua to self- determination.

However, the Indonesian Embassy in New Zealand said that the ACP meeting approved in April agreed to be held this month without discussing the West Papua issue. Indonesia's opposition claims continue to be voiced by a Vanuatu minister who claims that African and Caribbean countries support West Papua to determine its own destiny.

Government delegate Vanuatu Johnny Koanapo, as reported radionz.co.nz, Monday (15/05/2017), has submitted a joint statement to the ACP Council. It contained a warning that equated Indonesia as a "colonial apartheid government" that wiped out West Papuans as a society.

Koanapo said the discussions set the possibility of a resolution on the whole issue of West Papua at the next meeting of the ACP Council of Ministers, scheduled for November.

But the Indonesian embassy has rejected his statement. "The argument made by Vanuatu politicians that African countries support self-determination in Papua is not right," the Indonesian embassy said in a statement. "As a close partner sharing a common and future history, Indonesia and Africa have long expressed solidarity and full support for their respective sovereignty," continued Indonesia.

Indonesia also enjoys good relations with Pacific countries. "Most Pacific countries do not have an agenda to encourage separation of sovereign territory in Indonesia," the Indonesian embassy added.

"The call to re-draw the Indonesian border by some politicians in Vanuatu, Solomon Island and others, is just nonsense and irrational. This oddity is the talk of desperate and vulnerable political leaders who continue to rule. "