Indonesia accused of ‘divide and rule’

27 August, 2013

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Indonesia accused of ‘divide and rule’

Indonesia has been accused of deliberately dividing members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group at a critical time when the MSG is expected to send a fact-finding mission to the troubled province to establish the truth behind allegations of violence and human rights abuses. Since PNG prime minister Peter O’Neill’s visit from 19-21 June— the exact dates of the MSG summit, Solomon Islands prime minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has also been to Indonesia of late—raising serious questions among Solomon Islanders about the country’s position on West Papua. Jakarta Globe claims president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is seeking to ‘quell the growing support’ for West Papuan self-determination by inviting individual members of the MSG to Indonesia for bilateral talks.

Since the June MSG meeting in Noumea, a delegation to West Papua is expected before the end of the year, before a decision could be made on West Papua’s application to join the MSG.

This article was written by

Kiery Manassah is a journalist and holds a Master of Communication for Social Change from the University of Queensland. He is a former editor of the Vanuatu Daily Post and has worked at the Pacific Institute of Public Policy. Most recently he held the position of Public Relations Officer for the government led by Joe Natuman.

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