Former Vanuatu PM convinced of W.Papua admission to MSG

Transcript

Vanuatu's former prime minister, Barak Sope, says the people of his country are already convinced that West Papua will one day gain its independence from Indonesia.

In 2000, Mr Sope asked the United Nations for West Papua to be officially added to its decolonisation list.

Mr Sope says this week's West Papua Unification Conference in Port Vila will provide an important step in selecting a unified to front to help West Papua gain membership to the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

He told Hilaire Bule the MSG will treat the struggle of West Papua the same as the struggle of the Kanaks in New Caledonia and French Polynesia in their struggle for independence.

BARAK SOPE: I think that the conference is another step to push for the Independence of West Papua and its people and its an important step so that the delegates can decide to become member of the MSG, the Melanesian Spearhead Group. After that then this is what the heads of governments want after their meeting in PNG. So this is what is going to happen as soon as they take the decision.

HILAIRE BULE: In 2000 you asked the united nations for West Papua to be listed in their list of decolonisation and this time Port Vila they are having the conference to become the full member of the MSG do you think that they will, come member of the MSG?

BS: Yes of course because this is what the leaders of the MSG want, for them to come together and decide because, their was an application made last year, but it didn't pass through the MSG. And the MSG leaders wanted more of the leaders of the struggle to come together which is happening now and then from their we move on for the application to be considered next year.

HB: Becoming a member of the MSG do you think it will support your calling on UN in 2000?

BS: Yes that's the next step, after that the MSG countries will, like they did for New Caledonia and Tahiti they will do so for West Papua for them to become enlisted in the committee of decolonisation of the UN.

HB: So what do you think of the, about the support of the people of Vanuatu, chiefs and non-government organisations in Vanuatu to the struggle of people of West Papua?

BS: I think, its a very strong, very strong support, the chiefs the government for West Papua. Because in the other countries the support is not as strong as we have because of what we've been through, but we have also supported New Caledonia, Tahiti, Timor Leste to become Independent. So this is the same that we are doing now for West Papua. And I think Vanuatu is already convinced that West Papua, people of Vanuatu are already convinced that West Papua will become an Independent country.