The West Papua Unification Committee says it hopes that Indonesia will facilitate access for groups wanting to travel from the Papua region to Vanuatu next month.
Vanuatu is to host a major conference of West Papuan representative groups
towards arranging a unified bid for membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group
MSG leaders last month knocked back the membership application of the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation, calling for an application by a more representative umbrella group.
Vanuatu's council of churches, national chiefs' body and government have established the Committee to organise the conference, slated for August the 27th to the 30th.
The chairman of the committee, Pastor Alain Nafuki, says they know travel outside their region is generally inaccessible for West Papuans.
"The Indonesian government may be aware of that but we think that they will be free to travel from their country to Port Moresby, Honiara and Vila."
Pastor Alain Nafuki
