MANUARI URGED GOVERNMENT TO STAND WITH WEST PAPUA

Free West Papua Movement supporters in Solomon Islands. Photo credit: Charles Kadamana.

Free West Papua Movement supporters in Solomon Islands. Photo credit: Charles Kadamana.

The Member of Parliament for West Makira Derrick Manuari has called on the Solomon Islands Government to stand up and fight for the freedom of the people of West Papua.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament yesterday during the debate on the Speech from the Throne Motion, Mr Manuari said people of West Papua are being tortured almost every day and the Government should not be silent about it.

“Our fellow brothers and sisters in West Papua have been tortured and intimidated almost every day and as fellow Melanesian brothers and a Melanesian country we need to stand up and be seen as doing something about this. I understand the politics that is surrounding all this, but we must not forget our moral values and principles.”

He said our silence and passive approach is a denial of the very values that we have for so long as fundamental pillars of our society, saying we must be seen as supporting the freedom for West Papuan people.

“Our silence and passive approach is a denial of the very values we have for so long testified as the fundamental pillars of our society the Christian Solomon Islands. We are Christians and therefore we must not be seen as hypocritical. We must stand up and clearly position ourselves so that we may be seen as not compromising ourselves. We must be seen to be supporting the freedom for West Papuan people, Papua Medeka.”

Meanwhile, the Solomon Islands Solidarity for West Papua Freedom, has acknowledged the Member of Parliament for West Makira, Derrick Manuari who openly called for Government support towards self-determination for West Papuans.

Group Secretary, Father Nigel Kelaepa acknowledges and thank the West Makira MP who openly called on the Solomon Islands Government to show support towards the campaign towards the freedom of West Papuans.

“As the Solomon Islands Solidarity for West Papua Freedom we are so thankful for Honourable Derrick Manuari who voiced out on the floor of parliament yesterday the support for the “Freedom for West Papua” campaign that we are fighting for, especially in supporting our fellow people in West Papua, a worthy cause we see fit for them our fellow Melanesian brothers and sisters.”

Father Kelaepa also called on more Members of Parliament to show similar support towards the freedom of the people of West Papua, adding they are currently preparing a pledge to support the West Makira MP to move a private member’s motion in Parliament next week.

“We would like to see more of our MPs from both sides of the house of Parliament to also come out and show a similar support for our Melanesian brothers and sisters of West Papua, their campaign for freedom and the political self-determination from Indonesia and also to say that this group is currently preparing a pledge to support the MP for West Makira Hon. Derrick Manuari to move a private member’s motion in parliament next week to call on the government to support West Papua’s application for membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.”

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