Jakarta – The High Level Conference of Melanesian Countries or the Melanesian Spearhead Group (KTT MSG), firmly rejected the request for full membership of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). This decision was taken at a summit meeting which took place in Port Vila, Vanuatu, 23-24 August 2023.
In order to discuss this issue, a number of observers and figures attended a national webinar organized by the Moya Institute with the theme “Benny Wenda’s efforts fail at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Summit”, Friday (22/9) afternoon.
They are Padjadjaran University International Relations Expert, Prof. DR. Teuku Rezasyah, observer of strategic and global issues and former Indonesian Ambassador to China, Prof. Imron Cotan, Reform Politician, Mahfudz Siddiq, Chairman of the Papua Deliberative Body, Willem Frans Ansanai, and Executive Director of the Moya Institute, Hery Sucipto.
Prof. DR. Teuku Rezasyah, said the summit was extraordinary because it placed Indonesia in the South Pacific. Benny used ULMWP as a forum to declare to the world and demand that Papua be separated from Indonesia and always equate itself with Papua New Guinea.
“Benny always brings signs of Papua’s greatness to the world and attracts world sympathy. “This figure can be said to be a lobbyist because he is trying to make the world aware of the problems he is facing,” said Teuku.
Meanwhile, the Chair of the Papua Deliberative Body, Willem Frans Ansanai, is of the opinion that the efforts made by Benny Wenda in the international world are very disturbing for the Republic of Indonesia, but we have strong confidence that the Papua solution is clear, from a physical perspective, to the aspect of improving Papua.
“As a son of the Papuan region, seeing Benny Wenda’s achievements, I still believe that the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia will remain intact and Benny will experience many difficulties,” said Willem.
The same thing was also expressed by Reform Politician, Mahfudz Siddiq, that we need to appreciate the Indonesian delegation at the MSG forum who took firm and appropriate steps by walking out when Benny Wenda delivered his speech, and that attitude influenced the final decision of the MSG Summit.
“I want to appreciate my fellow delegates at the forum. “Everyone has agreed that talking about this issue is only a small group, some of whom do not live in Papua and continue to express ideas about separatism, so that this idea gets support,” said Mahfudz.
Another speaker, Prof. Imron Cotan said that the MSG could not accept the UMLWP because it was not a political entity of a sovereign state, which stated that a sovereign state could only be recognized if it had territory, a sovereign government, a people and was able to establish international relations with other countries. And ULMWP does not fulfill all of these requirements at all.
“MSG cannot accept the UMLWP because it is not a political entity of a sovereign state, has territory, government, people and is capable of establishing international relations. “ULMWP does not fulfill these requirements at all,” stressed Imron Cotan.
The Executive Director of the Moya Institute, Hery Sucipto, said that however Papua is inseparable from the Republic of Indonesia, because it is the obligation and right of all of us to defend it from all undermining or attempts to separate ourselves.
“Papua cannot be separated from the Republic of Indonesia, because it is the obligation and right of all of us to defend against all attempts to separate ourselves,” concluded Hery. [*]
