https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/399952/vanuatu-pm-calls-for-un-action-on-west-papua


*Vanuatu PM calls for UN action on West Papua*

2:48 pm today

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Vanuatu's prime minister has again pressed the United Nations General
Assembly over human rights abuses in West Papua.

[image: Vanuatu prime minister Charlot Salwai speaks at the UN General
Assembly.]Charlot Salwai Photo: UNGA

During his speech in New York, Charlot Salwai lamented how some Pacific
territories are yet to break the shackles of colonialism.

Mr Salwai cited France's territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia,
as well as Indonesian-ruled West Papua.

He called on the administering powers to respect UN processes and ensure
people in these territories can have their self-determination views heard.

Mr Salwai called for use of the UN system to find solutions to violations
of West Papuans' human rights.

"The resolution of the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum calls on the
office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua to
conduct an assessment based on concrete proof regarding the human rights
situation."

Rayyanul Sangadji, a junior Indonesian diplomat from Ambon, Maluku,
exercised the country's right of reply to Vanuatu's statement.

"As an Indonesian with Melanesian roots, I can tell you we do not like to
be clustered, categorised, or worse, divided by another, faraway country,"
he said.

"Papua is, has [been] and will always be, part of Indonesia."

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