Political Support
Melanesia on our PM's mind (Solomon Star)
By Solomon Star
May 19, 2008, 14:52

Solomon Star
VIEWPOINT-EDITORIAL





Melanesia on our PM’s mind

MONDAY, 19 MAY 2008



http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1447&change=103&changeown=87&Itemid=45





HERE’s something on the PM’s mind today.

Dr Derek Sikua and his colleagues will be in the regional spotlight in a few days as Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders meet in Port Vila.

Much of the value of the Melanesian Spearhead Group will come from economic cooperation and development and the benefits it brings Melanesia’s people.



But grabbing the headlines will be a couple of political issues watched far beyond Melanesia.



Facing the three main men, Prime Minister Sikua, Papua New Guinea’s Sir Michael Somare and Vanuatu’s Ham Lini, are these headline grabbing issues:

NUMBER ONE: What to do about Fiji and its military dictator, Voreqe “Frank” Banimarama?



Last year at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, Commodore Bainimarama gave assurances to the gathered regional leaders. He pledged a time frame for elections returning Fiji to democracy.



Now there are increasing signs that the Commodore and his collaborators are laying the groundwork for excuses not to honour the dictator’s word.



Dr Sikua, Sir Michael and Mr Lini will need to firmly remind him – or whoever turns up to represent Fiji – of one thing. That they expect Commodore Bainimarama to do what he said he would when he met with them in Tonga.

Good luck to them in that.



The commodore steers an increasingly erratic course as he brings more misery for Fiji’s people. His word is worth little.



NUMBER TWO: Whether to admit the West Papuan independence movement to observer status at the Melanesian Spearhead Group.



Vanuatu, of all the countries of the region, has done most to support the cause of our fellow Melanesians under Indonesian rule in West Papua.



What happened to the Papuans is one of this part of the world’s great shames to come out of the Cold War.



The Indonesians were allowed to annex West Papua because the Americans wanted to keep the Indonesians as allies against Communism.



A so-called “act of free choice” in West Papua gave so-called sanction to this and years of Indonesian brutality.



Except there was no free choice. The vote approving Indonesian rule was made by a small group of Papuans. They were totally intimidated by the Indonesian military who invaded the former Dutch colony.



To their shame successive Australian and Papua New Guinean governments have gone along with this sham. They undoubtedly felt they had to appease and cosy up to the Indonesians masses on their borders.



Now will the West Papuans finally be given some official recognition by their fellow Melanesians?



Will the Melanesian Spearhead Group show some courage and take a step the Pacific Islands Forum has feared to tread?



Mr Lini will likely push for this. Sir Michael will likely be reluctant because of his need to stay good with the Indonesians.



As a result Dr Sikua is likely to play a crucial role.

That’s one of the things he will probably be thinking about today.



Let’s hope he makes the right decision. And starts helping right the wrong our fellow Melanesians of West Papua have suffered too long.


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Richard Samuelson
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford, UK.
www.freewestpapua.org


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