WEST PAPUA: Situation will worsen, says Melsol

PORT MORESBY — Human rights lawyer and Melanesian Solidarity (Melsol) activist Powes Parkop has warned that West Papua will soon erupt into a more explosive and bloodier war than East Timor.

The Papua New Guinea government must deal with the West Papua issue with urgency and honesty, he said.

In September, PNG's prime minister, Sir Mekere Morauta, issued statements stressing that his government regarded West Papua as an integral part of Indonesia and emphasised PNG's position to his Australian counterpart, Prime Minister John Howard, when they met in Sydney.

Parkop told PNG's National newspaper that the position of the government was despicable and was a continuation of the policy of previous governments of sweeping the West Papua issue "under the carpet".

He said, "The government may continuously try to bury the West Papuan issue but everyone knows that it will not go away. West Papuans have unanimously called for independence and nothing will stop them. The long term solution is to facilitate the will of the people instead of turning a blind eye."

Parkop said that regional security would never be guaranteed until the West Papua issue was addressed sincerely.

"Long term security of the region will be better guaranteed if the West Papua issue is put on the negotiating table and addressed to the satisfaction of the West Papuan people", he said.

From GLW issue 424