West Papua activist's plea to govt
A West Papuan activist barred from speaking at parliament in
Wellington has pleaded for the government to put pressure on Indonesian
authorities to resolve a half-century-long battle for independence.
Independence leader Benny Wenda, who is living in exile in the United Kingdom,
is visiting New Zealand as part of an overseas tour campaigning for the
self-determination of West Papua, which is under Indonesian control.
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He spoke at Victoria University, opposite parliament, on Tuesday after Speaker
David Carter refused to allow him to speak inside, unless it was in a political
party's caucus room.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully revealed on Tuesday that
two National MPs had wanted to co-sponsor Mr Wenda's visit, alongside Labour,
the Greens and Mana, but he advised them against it.
"We believe that the approach the government's taking to
human rights issues in West Papua and Indonesia is a more constructive
one," Mr McCully told media.
"We have quite an active dialogue with the Indonesian authorities about
human rights issues ... I want to engage in that sort of diplomacy, not
megaphone diplomacy, and that's what I think was being suggested here."
Mr Wenda, who has spoken in the British and European Union parliaments, said he
was disappointed by the government's stance.
"It's a frustration for me but the fact that I'm here and I have a lot of
friends ... that gives me confidence that they can no longer silence me."
He said he would like New Zealand's government to ask Indonesia's government to
allow journalists into West Papua, to report on the conditions there.
"Journalists would make a big difference because that is our chance to
tell our story ... because Indonesia has silenced us for a very long
time."
On Tuesday afternoon, Mr McCully told parliament that foreign affairs officials
had met with Mr Wenda earlier in the day.
Mr Wenda is now free to travel having previously been issued a red notice by
Interpol, after Indonesian authorities accused him of murder and arson.
Interpol later decided the case against Mr Wenda was
"predominantly political".
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