INDONESIA ACCUSES VANUATU OF SUPPORTING SEPARATIST MOVEMENT IN PAPUA

The IDTToday.co reports the Indonesian government accuses Vanuatu’s motive of raising the issue of Papua to the United Nations (UN) not based on concern for human rights, but rather the country’s interest in supporting separatist movements in Indonesia.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry Diplomat Rayyanul Sangaji said in his first right of reply session (1st Right of Reply) at the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Saturday (09/28/2019).

In the general debate session, Rayyanul introduced himself to be a native Papuan and a descendant of the Melanesian race. He said Vanuatu’s support for the separatist agenda in Papua only made the conflict there escalated. As a result, many civilians fell victim and some infrastructure was damaged by the conflicts in Papua and West Papua Provinces.

“Vanuatu is not aware that its actions provide empty hope, even triggering conflict. The act is very irresponsible,” Rayyanul said.

In answering Vanuatu’s claim to Papua, Rayyanul also requested that the Pacific nation re-read facts and historical records before supporting separatist action in Indonesia’s easternmost province.

“I ask Vanuatu to re-read the history of Papua. If so, I ask you to read the whole facts once more until you get a clear picture of the status of Papua,” Rayyanul told the UN General Assembly as witnessed on the webtv.un.org website.

In December 2014, a historic gathering of West Papuan leaders in Vanuatu saw different factions of the independence movement unite to form a new body called the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). We are one people, one soul. https://t.co/nNL97UHn59 pic.twitter.com/KppAzXJDI1

— Benny Wenda (@BennyWenda) September 21, 2019

Vanuatu is the site of the establishment of the separatist movement “United Liberation Movement for West Papua” on December 7, 2014. The organization is led by a separatist figure who is now a British citizen, Benny Wenda.

“Vanuatu wants to show the impression to the world that they support the issue of human rights, but the real motive is that the country supports a separatist agenda (in the province of West Papua),”

Lewis Prai Wellip an OPM Internation Displomat has reacted to Rayyanul’s UN speech on social media saying he is a pretender.

“He is an Indonesian who disguised himself as a WestPapuan and he is from Ternate Maluku Utara”, he posted on twitter.

Moluccans are the Austronesian-speaking and Papuan-speaking ethnic groups indigenous to the Maluku Islands, also called the Moluccas, which have been part of Indonesia since 1950.

2018 73rd UN general assembly

In 2018, Indonesia has accused Vanuatu of challenging “friendly relations” between the two countries and supporting separatist movements, after it offered support to West Papua at the United Nations  73rd UN general assembly .

Indonesia accuses Vanuatu of 'inexcusable' support for West Papua https://t.co/tnJ4PfLS78

— Tribes West Papua (@MousaEast) February 1, 2019

Vanuatu has long been a supporter of the rights of West Papuans in their movement for independence from Indonesia.

“Although being disguised with flowery human rights concern, Vanuatu’s sole intention and action are directly challenging the internationally agreed principles of friendly relations between states, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said the Indonesian representative, Aloysius Selwas Taborat.

Taborat said Vanuatu repeatedly supported separatist movements and he questioned its behaviour as “an internationally law abiding” nation.