OFFICIAL
LAUNCH OF THE INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARIANS FOR WEST PAPUA IN THE
UK HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT |
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On the 15th of October 2008 at 15:00 - 16:30 (London time) in the Comittee Room 13 Main Building of the UK Houses of Parliament, the International Parliamentarians for West Papua was officially launched by the Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on West Papua in the UK House of Commons, Rt Hon Andrew Smith MP.
The International Parliamentarians for West Papua was launched at the second
Annual General Meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on West Papua
(APPGWP) which was chaired by Andrew Smith MP. The second AGM of the All
Party Parliamentary Group on West Papua elected Andrew Smith MP as its
chairman, Lord Harries of Pentregarth to be the vice chairman and Lord
Avebury as the secretary of the APPGWP.
The launch of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua was attended
by Hon Moana Carcasses Kalosil MP representing Vanuatu parliament, Lembit
Öpik MP (UK Parliament), Jeremy Corbyn MP (UK Parliament) and Mr. Benny
Wenda, West Papuan Independence Leader in the United Kingdom. This event was
witnessed directly by West Papuan representatives from the Netherlands,
university students (from Oxford, Exeter, Reading, and London) and UK based
human rights and environmental groups. Main speaker of the official launch
of IPWP was Ms Melinda Janki (international human rights law expert) who
presented a paper on West Papua’s legal rights to self determination.
Speakers from international parliamentarians for West Papua include Andrew
Smith MP (UK), Lord Harries (UK), Lembit Opik MP (UK) and Hon Moana
Carcasses Kalosil MP (Vanuatu).
PROPOSED ACTIONS:
West Papuan leaders hope that members of the IPWP will encourage fellow
Parliamentarians to join IPWP and support West Papua’s right to
self-determination, freedom and a peaceful existence
West Papuan leaders also hope that the IPWP is willing to help with the
following actions:
- lobby for a new act of self-determination in accordance with international
law in which indigenous West Papuans are freely allowed to choose their
international status;
-call for and support the immediate removal of Indonesian troops from West
Papua;
-call for an international peacekeeping force for West Papua under the
authority of the United Nations;
- request their governments to stop all arms sales to Indonesia until
Indonesian troops in West Papua have been replaced by a peacekeeping force;
- conduct a fact finding mission to West Papua;
- encourage their governments to obtain through the UN General Assembly an
advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on West Papua’s
right to self-determination under international law;
- support the creation of a trust fund so that all revenues from current
resource exploitation in West Papua are held in trust for the indigenous
peoples of West Papua;
- call upon the UN secretary-General to
(i)conduct a review of the UN’s role in the “act of free choice;”
(ii) send a special UN observer to monitor human rights in West Papua;
- call upon the Indonesian Government to
(i) release Filep Karma, Yusak Pakage and all other prisoners of conscience
immediately;
(ii) allow journalists free access to West Papua;
(iii) put an immediate stop to deforestation in West Papua since this is
destroying the unique ecosystems of West Papua and causing global damage
through climate change and the loss of biodiversity;
(iv) observe a moratorium on granting any oil and other mineral concessions
until the ICJ has delivered its opinion.
The launch of International Parliamentarians for West Papua was supported by
UK MPs, European MPs, US Congressmen, Australian Senators, New Zealand MPs,
Vanuatu MPs, Papua New Guinea MPs and Guyana MPs.
Please click the link below to see photos of this very historical event:
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