The issue of Papua as a political-economic commodity in Vanuatu

Papua as a political-economic commodity in Vanuatu

Jayapura (ANTARA) – Academic at Cenderawasih University (Uncen) Jayapura Marinus Yaung assessed that the Papua issue has become a political and economic commodity for Vanuatu.

“As a result, when Vanuatu used the Papua issue to build its political stage in international commodities at the 2020 UN general session forum, UN member countries no longer showed sympathy and support for Vanuatu’s position on the Papua issue,” he said in Jayapura, Papua, Wednesday.

According to him, Vanuatu failed to get sympathy and support from UN member states for its national perception of the Papua issue.

“The countries of the South Pacific Forum also seem to want closer friendly cooperation with Indonesia to solve the global pandemic COVID-19 problem, rather than having to confront Indonesia about the Papua issue voiced by Vanuatu,” he said.

He said Vanuatu’s position on the Papua issue at the UN general assembly forum this year did not get support and sympathy from Asian, Carabian and Pacific (ACP) countries.

“The issue of Papua in the current global COVID-19 pandemic situation, is no longer a regional pacific issue that Vanuatu sells on the UN stage,” he said.

On the other hand, he said, Marinus, the Jokowi administration and related institutions must fulfill their international responsibility to resolve cases of human rights violations in Papua that have received attention from the Pacific community and the UN Human Rights Council.

“Vanuatu does not dictate to Indonesia the resolution of alleged human rights violations in Papua. But Vanuatu reminds Indonesia to fulfill its international obligations in fulfilling, advancing and protecting the human rights of the Papuan people,” he said.

Papua as a political-economic commodity in Vanuatu

Notes:

A former Dutch colony, West Papua was formally incorporated into Indonesia in 1969, after an undisputed vote of about 1,025 representative tribal leaders. The result of the plebiscite was overseen and endorsed by the United Nations.