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The Interim President of the Vanua’aku Pati (VP), Joe Natuman, says some people in the current Opposition must be prevented from being in any government because it will be detrimental for the progress in Vanuatu’s support for self-determination for West Papua.
Natuman, also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Trade, Industry and ni-Vanuatu Business, made the comment while welcoming Santo Member of Parliament, Hosea Nevu and Luganville MP Marc Ati into VP last Saturday evening at a ceremony in Port Vila.
The event was attended by members of the executive of VP, VP MP for Santo and Minister for Justice and Community Services, Ronald Warsal, senior party members in and around Port Vila and Pastor Allan Nafuki, the chairman of the Vanuatu West Papua support group, who was accompanied by a member of the West Papua pro-independence movement.
Sealing the custom ceremony and welcome of MP Hosea Nevu (4th from right. MP Mark Ati absent) with a kava ceremony that included West Papua member of the Independence Movement (4th from the left) Interim VP President Joe Natuman is immediately on his right. By Jonas Cullwick
The Interim President of the Vanua’aku Pati (VP), Joe Natuman, says some people in the current Opposition must be prevented from being in any government because it will be detrimental for the progress in Vanuatu’s support for self-determination for West Papua.
Natuman, also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Trade, Industry and ni-Vanuatu Business, made the comment while welcoming Santo Member of Parliament, Hosea Nevu and Luganville MP Marc Ati into VP last Saturday evening at a ceremony in Port Vila.
The event was attended by members of the executive of VP, VP MP for Santo and Minister for Justice and Community Services, Ronald Warsal, senior party members in and around Port Vila and Pastor Allan Nafuki, the chairman of the Vanuatu West Papua support group, who was accompanied by a member of the West Papua pro-independence movement.
“The move by MPs Nevu and Ati will shore up VP members in Parliament from six to now eight and this will help us prevent some outside the government to not get into government because it will not be good for West Papua,” Natuman said.
“The issue of West Papua is now out of the MSG and it has reached the United Nations,” he added.
“When those people were in government they allowed Indonesia to become an Observer member of the MSG.”
Interim VP President Natuman did not name names, but when Opposition Member for Malekula, Sato Kilman, was Prime Minister Vanuatu, with the support of PNG and Fiji, the MSG allowed observer status for Indonesia.
Kilman’s stance was that an open door for dialogue with Indonesia on the issue of West Papua was needed through such avenues as the MSG and through multilateral and bilateral relations.
“The issue of West Papua is now out of the MSG and it has reached the United Nations,” he added.
“When those people were in government they allowed Indonesia to become an Observer member of the MSG.”
Interim VP President Natuman did not name names, but when Opposition Member for Malekula, Sato Kilman, was Prime Minister Vanuatu, with the support of PNG and Fiji, the MSG allowed observer status for Indonesia.
Kilman’s stance was that an open door for dialogue with Indonesia on the issue of West Papua was needed through such avenues as the MSG and through multilateral and bilateral relations.
Jonas Cullwick, a former General Manager of VBTC is now a Senior Journalist with the Daily Post. Contact: jonas@dailypost.vu. Cell # 678 5460922
