Vanuatu
Children, men, women, chiefs and Non-Government Organizations (NGO) in Port Vila represented Vanuatu in advocating for West Papua’s freedom and rights under the humanitarian rights policy as they assembled at Fatumauri Bay yesterday afternoon to join Vanuatu’s Civil Society Organisation, Vanuatu Association of NGOs (VANGO), and the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association to march in protest against the human rights abuses in West Papua.
Held from Fatumauri Bay to the national Parliament, the solidarity march is a protest against the violence and recent killings of West Papuans amidst pro-independence protests.
VANGO officials and West Papuan representatives presented a petition to Prime Minister Charlot Salwai at the Parliament.
VANGO Chairman, Lai Sakita said the march is in conjunction with the recent violence and human rights abuse in West Papua where Indonesian military attacked and killed some West Papuans during the protest.
Mr Sakita said the civil society in Vanuatu believes a march should take place to reaffirm the Vanuatu government’s stand in regards to the West Papuan issue and also its stand in the global arena in supporting West Papua as a Melanesian country.
He said the petition contains a call for Indonesia to be removed from the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) as an associate member and leave West Papua as a MSG member.
After receiving the petition in front of the Parliament house, PM Salwai confirmed the Vanuatu government and Vanuatu as whole remains committed to West Papua’s freedom.
The head of the Vanuatu government said Vanuatu will always support and fight hard for West Papua’s freedom.
Mr Salwai said the UN Human Rights Commissioner is aware of the West Papua issue and calls for a team to visit the West Papuan region is a step forward in addressing the humanitarian crisis of the Melanesian neighbours.
He said the government welcomes the petition. He also reiterated late Fr. Walter Lini’s statement that Vanuatu is not free unless all Melanesia and Pacific are free.
VANGO Chairman Sakita was grateful that the government accepted to receive the petition yesterday.
Source: Vanuatu Daily Post
Children, men, women, chiefs and Non-Government Organizations (NGO) in Port Vila represented Vanuatu in advocating for West Papua’s freedom and rights under the humanitarian rights policy as they assembled at Fatumauri Bay yesterday afternoon to join Vanuatu’s Civil Society Organisation, Vanuatu Association of NGOs (VANGO), and the Vanuatu Free West Papua Association to march in protest against the human rights abuses in West Papua.
Held from Fatumauri Bay to the national Parliament, the solidarity march is a protest against the violence and recent killings of West Papuans amidst pro-independence protests.
VANGO officials and West Papuan representatives presented a petition to Prime Minister Charlot Salwai at the Parliament.
VANGO Chairman, Lai Sakita said the march is in conjunction with the recent violence and human rights abuse in West Papua where Indonesian military attacked and killed some West Papuans during the protest.
Mr Sakita said the civil society in Vanuatu believes a march should take place to reaffirm the Vanuatu government’s stand in regards to the West Papuan issue and also its stand in the global arena in supporting West Papua as a Melanesian country.
He said the petition contains a call for Indonesia to be removed from the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) as an associate member and leave West Papua as a MSG member.
After receiving the petition in front of the Parliament house, PM Salwai confirmed the Vanuatu government and Vanuatu as whole remains committed to West Papua’s freedom.
The head of the Vanuatu government said Vanuatu will always support and fight hard for West Papua’s freedom.
Mr Salwai said the UN Human Rights Commissioner is aware of the West Papua issue and calls for a team to visit the West Papuan region is a step forward in addressing the humanitarian crisis of the Melanesian neighbours.
He said the government welcomes the petition. He also reiterated late Fr. Walter Lini’s statement that Vanuatu is not free unless all Melanesia and Pacific are free.
VANGO Chairman Sakita was grateful that the government accepted to receive the petition yesterday.
Source: Vanuatu Daily Post
Vanuatu and New Caledonia have signed a free trade agreement.
The deal was signed on Tuesday by Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and his counterpart Philippe Germain.
According to New Caledonia Trade Invest, it will lift taxes and duties on forty products in both countries.
A committee has been charged with reviewing and updating the list each year.
Vanuatu’s Foreign Ministry said on Facebook it was an historic agreement. (RNZ)
Nine New Zealand politicians are preparing for a six day trip to Solomon Islands and Vanuatu next week.
Speaker Trevor Mallard, along with five women and three male MPs, will meet with parliamentarians, NGOs, businesses and women’s groups in both countries.
The visit will focus on New Zealand’s development programme, building relationships with parliamentary colleagues, and exploring trade and investment ties.
Mr Mallard said the women MPs will have discussions with local women leaders about the contributions they can make in Parliament.
Mr Mallard said the Pacific region is incredibly important to New Zealand and the travelling MPs have a wealth of parliamentary knowledge and experience to share.
He said he also expects the programme will help identify mutually beneficial business opportunities in the Pacific.
Source: https://www.radionz.co.nz
Vanuatu has applied to join the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).
Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trade, Ralph Regenvanu, revealed the application was made this week.
“The principle reason is “probity checks” being carried out by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) were proving to be deficient, particularly as concerns people applying to buy Vanuatu citizenship under the Development Support Program (DSP) and people applying to be nominated as Honorary Consuls,” Minister Regenvanu told Daily Post.
“The FIU was able to pick up financial irregularities but not non-financial irregularities, including past or potential criminal behaviour and associations.
“By joining INTERPOL, the FIU and our police will be able to access the international INTERPOL database as part of the probity check process, and for other purposes, which will provide much better information to vet persons concerned.”
In a letter to the INTERPOL Secretariat, Minister Regenvanu stated that the Vanuatu Government is strongly committed to protecting the security of its people and the sovereignty of its borders from the impacts of transnational crime.
The Minister advised that the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) is already a proud member of the Pacific Transnational Crime Network (PTCN), whose aim is to detect, investigate and disrupt transnational crime in the region.
“The Republic of Vanuatu’s acceptance as an INTERPOL member will further strengthen the VPF’s ability to cooperate with international law enforcement agencies in the combined effort to dismantle transnational and organised crime syndicates on a global scale,” Minister Regenvanu stated in the letter, on behalf of the Vanuatu Government to the INTERPOL Secretariat.
He said the Government of Vanuatu willingly assumes all obligations and responsibilities expected from the INTERPOL membership, and formally endorses the VPF to be the responsible body to perform all functions of an Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) within Vanuatu.
“I would therefore greatly appreciate of this application could be supported for consideration by the INTERPOL General Assembly at its earliest convenience,” he concluded.
The NCB would be accommodated within the National Intelligence Unit (NIU) under the Transnational Crime Unit (TCU) and will be responsible for all international cooperation, country-level coordination and liaison with other government departments within Vanuatu to fulfill all requirements of a NCB.
“Very briefly, it means that Vanuatu is plugged into a global policing network, which brings benefits and obligations mainly around exchange of information,” said Dr Tess Newton Cain, principal of TNC Pacific Consulting when she was contacted yesterday for her views on the implications, in particular what Vanuatu stands to gain and lose if it becomes a member.
Dr. Cain, who is an expert in Criminal Law added: “I imagine it would make Vanuatu look better from a Counter Terrorism Financing and Anti Money Laundering point of view. There could be a concern that our police resources get side tracked into dealing with INTERPOL requests”.
She noted that INTERPOL has a training and capacity building arm so Vanuatu may be able to benefit from that.
The INTERPOL Membership Application provides information on the country becoming an Independent State, its Territory and Population, the Government and its capacity to enter International Relations – Vanuatu is a member of 39 International Forums and Intergovernmental organisations.
It affirms that Vanuatu has closely studied and understands the INTERPOL Constitution, regulations and membership requirements under Article 2-7 and 31-33 and it pledges to uphold and respect all provisions of the INTERPOL Constitution, Regulations and Rules, including not limited to INTERPOL Rules on the Processing of Data, in order to effectively contribute to the INTERPOL law enforcement community in combating ordinary law crime.
INTERPOL enables police in its 192 member countries to work together to fight international crime, providing a range of policing expertise and capabilities.
It supports three main crime programmes: Counter-terrorism, Cybercrime, and Organized and emerging crime.
According to the INTERPOL website, Fiji and Nauru have been members since 1971, Papua New Guinea since 1976, Tonga since 1979, Samoa since 2009 and Solomon Islands since 2017.
Source (Daily Post)
Port Vila – Dalam gebrakan pertama di seluruh dunia, Pemerintah Vanuatu telah memberikan kontrak komersial kepada dua perusahaan drone internasional, Swoop Aero dan Wingcopter, untuk menguji penggunaan drone dalam membawa vaksin penyelamat hidup bagi anak-anak yang tinggal di pulau-pulau terpencil di negara itu.
“Untuk memastikan pasokan obat di fasilitas kesehatan tersedia secara konsisten, adalah tantangan yang berkelanjutan bagi Vanuatu akibat hambatan geografi, logistik, dan biaya yang tinggi. Langkah penting untuk menghadapi tantangan-tantangan dalam menyediakan layanan kesehatan bagi masyarakat rentan, adalah dengan mencari cara-cara inovatif, seperti penggunaan drone,” kata Direktur Jenderal Departemen Kesehatan di Vanuatu, George Taleo.
Tahap pertama dari uji coba drone ini akan berlangsung selama minggu, 3-7 Desember mendatang, ketika dua perusahaan drone ini akan melakukan uji kelayakan pengiriman vaksin ke sejumlah area yang tidak dapat diakses.
“UNICEF bangga dapat bekerja sama dengan Pemerintah Vanuatu dalam inisiatif yang sangat inovatif ini, untuk malukan uji coba drone agar digunakan untuk mengantarkan pasokan vaksin kepada anak-anak yang tinggal di komunitas terpencil,” kata Perwakilan UNICEF di Pasifik, Sheldon Yett.
“Tantangan-tantangan yang harus dihadapi untuk menjangkau anak-anak di pulau-pulau paling terpencil di Vanuatu itu sangat besar, perawat seringkali berjalan beberapa jam untuk mengantarkan vaksin ke klinik-klinik kesehatan di komunitas ini. Setiap anak di seluruh dunia memiliki hak untuk menerima vaksin dan teknologi ini, dan ini langkah yang tepat untuk menjangkau anak-anak yang paling berisiko,” tambahnya.
Vanuatu adalah sebuah negara kepulauan di Pasifik, gugusan pulau dengan 83 pulau yang mencakup luas hingga 1.600 kilometer. Sekitar sepertiga dari pulau-pulau berpenghuni memiliki lapangan terbang dan jalan yang memadai, mendatangkan tantangan logistik yang cukup besar dalam menjangkau, melibatkan, dan memberikan layanan kepada komunitas-komunitas terpencil.
Fase kedua uji coba, yang akan mengangkut vaksin ke fasilitas kesehatan di tiga pulau kecil, Emao, Pele and Nguna, diharapkan akan dimulai pada awal Januari 2019. (Daily Post Vanuatu)
Sumber (Jubi)
Israel seek Vanuatu’s unwavering position to recognise Jerusalem as capital
The delegates comprised Matai Seremaiah, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, and Biosecurity, Acting Director Generals of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, and Prime Minister’s Office, Director of Foreign Affairs and the PM’s First Political Advisor.
The official visit to Israel was in response to an invitation by the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, to Prime minister Salwai to meet with him in Israel as part of strengthening development cooperation and bilateral relation between the two countries.
As a way of background, Vanuatu established diplomatic relations with the State of Israel on 16 December 1993 to promote mutual understanding and friendly relations in all political, economic, social, humanitarian, cultural and religious spheres.
Since then, Vanuatu has witnessed a gradual increase in Israel’s assistance over the years in the areas of economic cooperation, Agriculture, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Marine and Fisheries, Education, Health and Culture, Faith and Public Diplomacy, whichhas continued to make the difference for the average ni-Vanuatu.
On the other hand, the state of Israel is a robust parliamentary democracy and there is a lot that Vanuatu could gain from this bilateral relationship. In the last five years, the Israel economy has grown steadily, and continuing strong foreign investment, tax revenue, and private consumption levels have helped the economy recover quickly from shocks such as the conflict with Hizballah in 2006.
Recent forecasts estimate that the Israeli economy will grow between 2.8 and 3.0 per cent year-on-year in the next two years (2016, 2017). GDP growth was 2.5 per cent in 2015. This growth is partly due tohigh-tech exports of which ICT is one of the key industries that drive its economy in addition to oil and gas.
Indeed, Israel is renowned for its aquaculture and mariculture, which enable a 25 percent increase in domestic breeding in the final decade of the 20th century. This includes: fish growing in artificial ponds, including tilapia, mullet, carp, trout, bass and silver carp, mainly in the northern part of the country; salt water fish, including bass and sea-bream, raised in floating cages in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Eilat; and fresh-water fishing in Lake Kinneret.
The increased agricultural production, despite severe water and land limitation, was the outcome of collaboration and integrated approach between researchers, extension workers, farmers and agriculture-related services and industries. Continuous, application-oriented research and development (R&D) has been carried out in the country since the beginning of the last century. The agricultural sector today is based almost entirely on science-linked technology, with government agencies, academic institutions, industry and cooperative bodies working together to seek solutions and meet new challenges.
In terms of Agriculture, Agricultural projects and research collaboration constitute about half of Israel’s international cooperation programs. Emphasis is placed on training courses in agricultural subjects, with some 1,400 participants from over 80 countries attending specialized courses in Israel every year, and thousands of trainees receiving on-the-spot training in their own countries. Since 1958, thousands of Israeli agricultural experts have been sent abroad on long- and short-term assignments.
Indeed, Israel is the number 1 in the world today in waste water management, desalination and water recycling.Ithas more start-ups per capita than any other nation when it comes to Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Development. It is an achievement which is the result of close collaboration between business and government, and a culture that rewards risk-taking, embraces innovation and entrepreneurship and encourages imagination. Sectors include: Small and Medium Enterprises; Innovative Entrepreneurship – from an idea to starting a business; Support Systems for Entrepreneurs; the Use of ICTs in Support Systems to Advance Microenterprises.
Whilst in Israel Prime Minister Salwai and his delegation visited Volcani Agriculture Institute, a prime and leading institution in agricultural research, innovation and practical application. As part of the practical demonstration the delegation visited an innovated agricultural farm called green2000 of which the delegation had an opportunity to brief on innovated method for food security and increased production.
At the bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister Salwai reaffirmed Vanuatu’s appreciation of the relationship that Vanuatu has with the state of Israel and commented that Vanuatu– Israel relations has a potential to expand and deepen into the future. He also acknowledged that Vanuatu strategic partnership with Israel has brought many benefits and is far from exhausting its potential.
The official state visit to Israel is to reinforce Vanuatu commitment to this strategic partnership relations and also an opportunity to explore how Vanuatu could benefit from the shared experiences of Israel in the areas of water management, purification, desalination and, innovated method for increasing production quantity and quality.
On the development front, Prime Minister discussed with his counterpart opportunity to broaden and deepen the existing mutual development cooperation between the two countries to cover the following areas:
- Technical assistance in the provision of clean water (water purification, desalination and recycling) through the Department of Water Resources. Access to clean water is a major problem around Vanuatu and access to such expertise will greatly improve community welfare in Vanuatu.
- Assistance in providing educational training schemes (scholarships) to Vanuatu citizens especially those who are interested in pursuing further studies in areas of Aquaculture, Information Technology, Farming Technology, Irrigation Technology and Green Farming and Energy techniques.
- Seek support of Israel for Vanuatu’s post 2020 after the LDC Graduation, like establishing an enabling environment to allow possible Israel Investment in Vanuatu
PM Salwai is also exploring opportunity for expanding technical cooperation assistance with the State of Israel to cover national security, particularly intelligence training amidst growing global security challenges that poses threat to Smaller Island States like Vanuatu.
In response, Prime MinisterNetanyahu reaffirmed its country’s commitment to this strategic partnership and agreed for Israel to provide early interventions in water and agriculture sector. The government of Israel will mobilise its experts in the areas of water and agriculture to undertake a feasibility study to determine a need and understand how this assistance can be framed to suit Vanuatu’s context.
The Israel government is also assured Vanuatu government to make twenty (20) scholarship available to ni-Vanuatu each year in the fields of agriculture. The scholarship is fully funded except the airfares.
On the political front, Israel acknowledged support of Vanuatu over the years at the international development arena and in particular the Vanuatu’s support for the State of Israel to become member of the Asian Development Bank. Furthermore, Israel seek Vanuatu’s unwavering position and consensus to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
In response, Prime Minister Salwai, assured his counterpart that he will follow up with his Council of Ministers and will communicate Vanuatu’s position on Jerusalem as capital of Israel without further delay.
PM Salwai further commented that Vanuatu’s constitution recognised Christianity and hence as a Christian country there is evidence beyond doubt that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Indeed, this is the belief of all Christians around the world.
The state of Israel was established in 14 May 1948 and has the city of Tel Aviv as its economic and technological centre while its seat of government and proclaimed capital is Jerusalem although the state sovereignty over Jerusalem is partially recognised.
In 1989, the Vanuatu government moved to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) aligning itself with the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) principle on decolonisation and the right to self — determination.
It was not until 1993 that the country decided to recognise the state of Israel due to Vanuatu’s strong connection with Christianity which has its roots in Israel. This lead to Vanuatu abstaining from major UN resolutions on the Israel Palestine conflict which prime multilateral solution over bilateral negotiations. The Vanuatu government reiterate its preference for bilateral negotiations between Israel and Palestine over multilateral diplomacy as a mean to achieve a peaceful solution to this long-standing issue.
Despite recognition of the Palestine Liberation Movement Vanuatu chose to abstain from voting on the UN General Assembly resolution that upgraded the status of Palestine as a Non-Observer state to the UN and those resolutions that condemn the Israel settlement of the Occupied Palestine Territories.
The recent one being the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel in a move by the Arab league of countries to counter the move by US to recognise Jerusalem as the Jewish state capital.
By abstaining to vote on the UN resolution by the Arab League of countries to reject the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel Vanuatu wants to underscore the importance Jerusalem represents for Christian faith and other faiths. Vanuatu is also of the view that the resolution is one sided and does not advance the peace process that UN aspires.
In the meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Prime Minister Salwai reaffirmed Vanuatu commitment to work with Israel to find a peaceful solution to the Israel Palestine conflict and to review Vanuatu’s stand on the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel.
The two leaders noted that existing Memorandum of Understanding on development cooperation between the two countries expired in 2017 and agreed for the officials of the two countries to renew it and take into consideration the outcome of this bilateral talk.
Source: (Daily Post Vanuatu)
Isu Papua menjadi polemik terbuka antara Indonesia dan Vanuatu di Sidang Umum ke-73 Perserikatan Bangsa-bangsa (PBB) di New York setelah kedua negara saling sindir ketika masing-masing mendapat kesempatan berbicara.
Pada SU ke-73 PBB yang berlangsung 25 September hingga 1 Oktober 2018 itu Perdana Menteri Vanuatu menyinggung tentang pelanggaran HAM berat di Papua serta mendesak diberikannya kebebasan berekspresi bagi rakyat Papua. Sebelumnya, Wakil Presiden Jusuf Kalla yang memimpin delegasi Indonesia telah melontarkan kecaman bahkan ancaman terhadap Vanuatu, untuk tidak mencampuri urusan kedaulatan Indonesia atas Papua.
(Pidato PM Vanuatu pada Sidang Umum ke-73 PBB dapat dibaca di sini)
Indonesia juga mengecam Vanuatu melalui kesempatan hak untuk menjawab (right to reply) beberapa jam setelah PM Vanuatu berbicara. Ini bukan kali pertama Vanuatu mengangkat isu Papua di Sidang Umum PBB. Demikian pula halnya dengan Indonesia, bukan kali pertama menggunakan rigt to reply dalam membantah tudingan tentang pelanggaran HAM di Papua.
Namun, kecaman Indonesia pada Sidang Umum ke-73 PBB kali ini yang secara khusus dan sangat keras ditujukan kepada Vanuatu menyebabkan polemik isu Papua mengerucut menjadi antara Indonesia dan Vanuatu. Tiga negara lainnya dari kawasan Pasifik (Marshall Islands, Tuvalu dan Solomon Islands) yang juga mengangkat isu Papua, tidak disinggung oleh Indonesia dalam rigt to reply-nya.
(Respons Indonesia terhadap Vanuatu dalam right to reply bisa dilihat di sini.)
Dalam pidato sepanjang 30 paragraf, PM Vanuatu Charlot Salwai yang mendapat giliran ke-7 pada sesi pagi 28 September, mengangkat isu pelanggaran HAM di Papua lewat dua paragraf dalam rangkaian pernyataannya mengenai isu dekolonisasi.
“Sejak PBB berdiri, sekitar 750 juta orang, mewakili 80 bekas koloni, telah memperoleh kemerdekaan. Di sisi lain, situasi putus asa dari jutaan orang lainnya yang beraspirasi menentukan nasib sendiri masih tetap ada,” kata Charlot Salwai dalam pidato berbahasa Prancis.
Salwai mengatakan negaranya sangat menghormati pentingnya peran Komite Dekolonisasi PBB. Ia juga menekankan bahwa menghapuskan segala bentuk kolonialisme merupakan agenda yang harus menjadi prioritas utama PBB dalam semangat piagam PBB.
Setelah menyerukan dukungan bagi hak menentukan nasib sendiri rakyat Kaledonia yang akan menyelenggarakan referendum dalam waktu dekat, Charlot Salwai berbicara tentang pelanggaran HAM Papua.
“Komunitas internasional adalah saksi kekerasan dan pelanggaran HAM dan rakyat Papua menjadi korbannya,” kata Charlot Salwai.
“Kami mendesak Dewan HAM PBB melakukan investigasi atas pelanggaran-pelanggaran ini,” lanjut dia.
“Kami juga menyerukan para sejawat-sejawat kami para pemimpin di seluruh dunia untuk lebih banyak lagi memberi perhatian terhadap tindakan-tindakan tidak manusiawi ini, dalam kaitannya dengan Indonesia, untuk menghentikan seluruh bentuk kekerasan dan mencari landasan bersama dengan bangsa-bangsa di dunia, untuk memfasilitasi penyelenggaraan proses yang memberi mereka secara bebas mengekspresikan pilihan mereka.”
Kecaman Indonesia
Tudingan Vanuatu yang dipandang memojokkan Indonesia tanpa dasar tersebut segera direspons oleh Kepala Perwakilan Tetap Indonesia untuk PBB di New York, Duta Besar Dian Triansyah Djani, lewat hak untuk menjawab (right to reply) langsung dari meja delegasi Indonesia.
Dengan pilihan kata yang keras dan berkali-kali menggerakkan tangan dengan jari telunjuk terangkat, Dian Triansyah mengecam pernyataan Vanuatu sebagai tidak berdasar, merendahkan dan bahkan melanggar prinsip-prinsip Piagam PBB.
“Indonesia mengecam pernyataan tak berdasar Vanuatu yang disampaikan pagi ini terkait Papua dan Papua Barat,” kata Dian Triansyah.
“Tudingan tersebut tak hanya merendahkan prinsip hubungan antar negara dan prinsip non intervention (tidak mencampuri urusan kedaulatan negara lain), tapi juga melanggar prinsip yang ada di Piagam PBB,” kata dia lebih lanjut.
Dian Triansyah mengatakan Vanuatu telah lama menjadikan isu Papua sebagai ‘jualan’ dengan mengatakan ada pelanggaran HAM berat di Papua. Dia juga mengatakan Vanuatu selama ini menuduh bahwa warga Papua dan Papua Barat telah diabaikan haknya oleh pemerintah Indonesia, baik secara ekonomi maupun sosial. Lebih lanjut, Vanuatu menuding Indonesia memperlakukan warga Papua dan Papua Barat dengan diskriminatif.
Dian Triansyah mengatakan isu-isu yang tidak berdasar ini ditanamkan oleh para ‘individu kriminal’ kepada Vanuatu dengan maksud untuk memisahkan Papua dari Indonesia melalui forum PBB.
“Kami tak mengerti apa motif Vanuatu melakukan hal tersebut,” kata Dian Triansyah yang menganggap Vanuatu justru mendukung sekelompok orang yang selama ini telah menebar teror dan menciptakan kesedihan bagi banyak keluarga di Papua.
Indonesia, kata Dian Triansyah, menolak secara kategoris segala tuduhan-tuduhan itu serta semua upaya yang bertujuan mengganggu perdamaian, stabilitas dan pertumbuhan yang dinikmati rakyat di Papua dan Papua Barat.
Untuk lebih menegaskan posisi Indonesia, Dian Triansyah menyampaikan dua poin penting.
Pertama, langkah Vanuatu menuding Indonesia telah melakukan pelanggaran HAM berat di Papua adalah sebuah tudingan serius dan tak bisa diterima.
Indonesia mengakui tak ada satu pun negara di dunia yang tidak bermasalah dengan HAM. “Tapi, menuduh negara lain melanggar HAM sementara negara tersebut masih melakukan banyak pelanggaran HAM, adalah ibarat sebuah teko menyebut sebuah panci berwarna hitam,” tutur Dian Triyansah sambil mengangkat dan menggerakkan tangan dengan jari telunjuk tegak.
Lebih jauh, Dian Triyansah membandingkan Vanuatu yang belum meratifikasi berbagai instrumen aturan HAM PBB, sementara Indonesia sudah meratifikasi delapan dari sembilan instrumen.
Dian Triansyah menegaskan bahwa Indonesia adalah negara multikultur, terdiri dari ratusan etnik, ratusan bahasa dan ribuan suku. “Kami tidak mendefinisikan negara kami berdasarkan kemurinian rasial. Juga bukan mendasarkannya pada satu kelompok suku. Kami menolak rasialisme di Indonesia,” kata Dian Triansyah.
Menurut Dian Triansyah, jika logika yang dibangun Vanuatu diikuti (negara berdasarkan ras), maka dunia ini kini telah terdiri dari puluhan ribu negara. Logika semacam itu, menurut dia, adalah logika tidak bertanggung-jawab.
Dia juga mengutip prinsip universal, bahwa elemen sebuah negara terdiri dari empat hal, yaitu populasi, teritori, pemerintahan dan kapasitas inter-relasi dengan negara lain. “Tidak pernah ras dan etnik menjadi alasan bagi hak untuk menjadi sebuah negara,” ia mengatakan.
Sikap kedua Indonesia adalah dikaitkan dengan sikap PBB terhadap Vanuatu. Indonesia memandang apa yang telah diputuskan oleh PBB 50 tahun lalu tentang status final Papua adalah mengikat dan harus dihormati oleh seluruh negara anggota PBB.
Dian Triansyah mengutip fakta sejarah bahwa PBB mengakui keberhasilan Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat (Pepera atau Act of Free Choice) dan ketika diadopsi menjadi resolusi PBB, kata dia, tidak ada satu pun negara anggota yang menolaknya.
Oleh karena itu, Indonesia menilai propaganda Vanuatu tentang Papua bertentangan dengan kesepakatan PBB dan karena itu Vanuatu melanggar keputusan PBB.
Lebih jauh, Indonesia berpandangan mendukung agenda kelompok separatis merupakan pelanggaran terhadap prinsip-prinsip Piagam PBB. Karena itu Indonesia meminta PBB lebih tegas karena tidak ada tempat di PBB bagi negara yang mendukung separatisme.
“Enough is enough. Kita tidak boleh membiarkan hal ini,” kata Dian Triansyah.
Secara khusus Dian Triansyah juga menyebut tindakan Vanuatu menyertakan tokoh pro-kemerdekaan Papua menjadi anggota delegasinya merupakan pelanggaran terhadap peraturan PBB.
Warning Jusuf Kalla
Sementara itu sehari sebelumnya, Wakil Presiden Jusuf Kalla yang memperoleh kesempatan berbicara di urutan ke-23 pada sesi sore di forum yang sama sebagai pemimpin delegasi Indonesia telah pula menyampaikan kecaman bahkan ancaman kepada Vanuatu walaupun ia tidak menyebut nama negara tersebut.
Jusuf Kalla menilai langkah Vanuatu telah melanggar prinsip-prinsip PBB dan ia meminta PBB menunjukkan ketegasan sebagai pemimpin.
“Untuk menciptakan masyarakat yang damai, berkelanjutan dan adil, semua negara harus
menghormati hukum dan prinsip-prinsip internasional PBB, termasuk menghormati
kedaulatan dan integritas teritorial,” kata Jusuf Kalla.
“Dalam hubungan ini, Indonesia sangat menyesalkan upaya-upaya yang dilakukan negara (tertentu) yang mendukung atau bahkan terburuk, menjadi bagian dari gerakan separatis.”
(Pidato Jusuf Kalla dapat dibaca di sini)
Ia menegaskan bahwa “tindakan permusuhan ini tidak memiliki tempat dalam sistem PBB.”
“Sudah terlalu lama … Indonesia telah memilih untuk membangun hubungan persahabatan dengan negara tertentu, termasuk dalam menunjukkan solidaritas dan simpati kami pada masa sulit. Tetapi ketika tindakan bermusuhan terus berlanjut … Indonesia tidak akan tinggal diam. Indonesia tidak akan membiarkan negara mana pun meruntuhkan integritas teritorialnya.”
“Seperti halnya negara berdaulat lainnya, Indonesia akan tetap mempertahankan
integritas teritorialnya. Saya ulangi: akan dengan teguh mempertahankan integritas teritorialnya,” kata JK.
Menurutnya, untuk menciptakan masyarakat dunia yang damai, adil dan berkelanjutan membutuhkan PBB yang lebih responsif, bertanggung jawab, dan kredibel.
“Kita di PBB harus menunjukkan kepemimpinan. Inilah sebabnya mengapa reformasi PBB tidak bisa dihindari. Kalau tidak PBB akan ketinggalan zaman untuk menjawab kebutuhan dan tantangan hari ini dan besok.”
Isu Papua di Mata 3 Negara Pasifik Lainnya
Selain Vanuatu, tiga negara Pasifik lainnya juga mengangkat isu Papua pada SU ke-73 PBB. Ketiga negara tersebut adalah Marshall Island, Tuvalu dan Solomon Islands.
Presiden Republik Marshall Islands, Hilda Heine dalam pidatonya pada 25 September lalu merujuk pada isi komunike bersama negara-negara yang tergabung dalam Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) di Nauru. Ia berkata bahwa negaranya mengakui perlunya dialog konstruktif dan terbuka mengenai Papua oleh negara-negara anggota PIF dengan Indonesia.
“Dekolonisasi dan HAM merupakan isu penting di wilayah Kepulauan Pasifik. Saya sangat menegaskan posisi Pimpinan PIF dalam mengakui keterlibatan konstruktif negara-negara anggota PIF dengan Indonesia, dengan menghormati hasil pemilihan umum dan HAM di Papua, dan komitmen untuk dialog berkelanjutan secara terbuka dan konstruktif,” kata Hilde Heine.
(Pidato Hilda Heine dapat dibaca di sini)
Sementara itu delegasi Tuvalu yang dipimpin oleh perdana menteri Enele Sosene Sopoanga mengangkat isu Papua bersama-sama dengan seruannya bagi diberikannya pengakuan bagi Taiwan di dalam Perserikatan Bangsa-bangsa (PBB).
Menurutnya, seperti harapan Tuvalu kepada PBB terkait dengan Taiwan, demikian pula seharusnya atas Papua. “PBB harus terlibat dengan rakyat Papua untuk mencari solusi-solusi akhir bagi perjuangan mereka,” kata Sopoanga.
(Pidato PM Tuvalu dapat dibaca di sini)
Ada pun delegasi Solomon Islands kali ini mengangkat isu Papua dengan sikap yang jauh lebih lunak bila dibanding dengan posisi mereka pada tahun-tahun sebelumnya. Pada SU PBB kali ini, PM Solomon Islands, Rick Hou, menegaskan sikap negaranya yang mengakui kedaulatan Indonesia atas batas-batas wilayahnya, berkebalikan dengan pendirian PM sebelumnya, Manasseh Sogavare, yang lantang menyuarakan penentuan nasib sendiri bagi rakyat Papua.
(Pidato PM Solomon Islands dapat dibaca di sini)
“Pemerintah saya berkomitmen untuk bekerja dengan Pemerintah Indonesia di bidang kepentingan bersama termasuk masalah hak asasi manusia di Papua dan Papua Barat,” kata Rick Hou, yang pernah bekerja di Bank Dunia.
Sumber link; Suarapapua.com
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