Inclusion of West Papua in the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Addressing Human Rights Abuses

Inclusion of West Papua in the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Addressing Human Rights Abuses.

The United States of Africa wholeheartedly advocates for the inclusion of West Papua within the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). We firmly uphold the principle that the MSG must fulfill its mission of advancing trade among its members, fostering the exchange of Melanesian cultures and values, and promoting sovereign equality to facilitate both economic and political collaboration. Furthermore, it is imperative that the MSG takes proactive steps to protect the human rights of indigenous populations, aligning with its foundational objectives.

The responsibility rests upon the MSG to intervene and put an end to the prolonged history of colonial injustices in West Papua. The future wellbeing of Melanesia depends on the solidarity of its people, which is essential to secure the comprehensive human rights of indigenous communities and promote democracy.

The entrance of West Papua into the MSG is undeniably crucial for the survival of the native Papuan people, who currently face the looming threat of extinction due to encroachments by the Indonesian government and the consequent displacement of indigenous populations.

The longstanding Indonesian colonization and systemic violations of human rights endured by West Papua have been exacerbated by the lack of support from the MSG. Curiously, Indonesia, a non-Melanesian nation, was admitted as an associate member, despite this incongruity.

We are deeply disturbed by recent findings in a documentary and human rights report, which chronicle brutal assaults in 2021 perpetrated by Indonesian security forces against the Kiwirok people, resulting in the tragic loss of numerous lives. Eyewitness testimonies vividly describe the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles armed with modified Krusik mortars, Thales rocket FZ 68 weaponry, and military attack helicopters by the Indonesian military against an indigenous community.

?The authors of the report have concluded that the Indonesia National Armed Forces, equipped with Airbus Fennec attack helicopters and Thales rocket systems, are highly likely to be accountable for the helicopter-related aspects of these attacks.

We strongly condemn Indonesian military brutality and demand for accountability in a recent incident in which Mr. Markus Kamisopa, a 26-year-old indigenous man, was ruthlessly killed by the Indonesian military in Timika, following severe beatings on August 2, 2023. Tragically, such narratives of violence have become disturbingly commonplace in West Papua, yet they have garnered insufficient international outcry from the custodians of democracy and human rights.

Our demand is unequivocal: the United Nations must take immediate action to initiate the decolonization process for West Papua, enabling its indigenous populace to fully exercise their inherent human rights without any form of intimidation or abuse from Indonesia.

Once again, the United States of Africa emphatically urges the member states of the MSG to welcome West Papua into its fold within the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Finally, we call for a united and resolute response to exert pressure on the United Nations to expedite the addition of West Papua to its list of territories in need of decolonization.

Best Regards,

Daniel Mwambonu

The President

United States of Africa?

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