Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare Photo: Tavuli News
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is not pursuing independence for West Papua.
Sogavare has clarified why he did not bring up West Papua's independence in the UN General Assembly upon his return to Honiara from New York on Wednesday.
In-depth Solomons reports Sogavare saying the MSG agreed not to pursue independence for West Papua in its last meeting.
He said pursuing independence at the MSG level has historically led to unnecessary human rights violations against the people of West Papua, as it becomes closely linked to the independence movement.
Sogavare said the sub-regional bloc's new strategy involves initiating a discussion with the Indonesian government.
He said the focus is on treating the people of West Papua as part of Melanesia and urging the government of Indonesia to respect them accordingly.
At the UN General Assembly, Sogavare brought up the independence issue of New Caledonia and French Polynesia, but not West Papua.
He said the issue of independence and self-determination is a domestic matter that West Papua needs to address internally.
Sogavare said the UN Special Committee on Decolonization has established a process allowing them the right to determine their self-determination.
This committee, a subsidiary of the UN General Assembly, is dedicated to matters related to granting independence to colonial countries and peoples.
Photo: Douglas Maru/Solomon Islands opposition
However, opposition leader Matthew Wale has expressed his disappointment that Sogavare brought up New Caledonia and French Polynesia at the UN, but not West Papua.
Wale said both the pro-independence FLNKS and West Papuans are Melanesian peoples and both desire independence.
He said West Papua has been under very oppressive schematic & systematic Indonesian colonial rule, far worse than anything New Caledonia has suffered.
"We are Melanesians and we should always stand hand in hand with our brothers and sisters in West Papua," he said.
He said diplomacy and geopolitics should never cloud solidarity with their Melanesian people of West Papua.
He also reiterated his call to MSG leaders to rethink their stand on West Papua.
"The Prime Minister should have maintained Solomon Islands stand on West Papua like he used to. He is no different to Judas the Iscariot," he said.