A small, but vocal, group of protesters gathered this morning outside the Sheraton Aggies Resort in Apia, venue of the 48th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting, to raise awareness about the plight of West Papua and its people.
West Papua independence movement protest campaign in Samoa. Photo: RNZI/ Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Protest organiser Jerome Mika said the protest was to ensure Pacific leaders did not ignore the issue of West Papua.
Mika, who is with the local Samoa First Union, said this was also a call on some Pacific leaders to join the seven Pacific countries pushing to resist West Papua with the United Nations Decolonisation committee.
The seven countries are Nauru, Marshall Islands, Solomons, Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Tonga.
Unasa Iuni Sapolu. Photo: RNZI/ Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Forum General Secretary Dame Meg Taylor visited the protest and reaffirmed their right to protest but did not speak on the issue of West Papua.