The Pacific can no longer turn a blind eye to West Papua, envoy

Vanuatu’s newly appointed special envoy for West Papua, Lora Lini, says the West Papua issue is something the Pacific region can no longer turn a blind eye on.

Vanuatu is to ask next week’s Pacific Islands Forum summit in Nauru to support its plans to ask the UN General Assembly to inscribe West Papua on its decolonisation list.

Ms Lini told Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor about her new role.

(from left:) United Liberation Movement for West Papua chairman Benny Wenda, Vanuatu prime minister Charlot Salwai and deputy prime minister Joe Natuman, as well as ULMWP deputy chairman Octo Mote at the Movement’s summit in Port Vila, 1 December 2017. Photo: Australia West Papua Association