Refugee: Unite for cause

 By FRANCIS RODNEY PULU

FORMER West Sepik Governor John Tekwie told West Papuan refugees that their long road to independence was progressing.

He spoke about it during the National West Papuan Day at the Constitutional Park in Port Moresby last Saturday.

West Papuan refugee chairman Freddy Waroi, who had been pushing the independence issue, was a relieved man and said that he wanted to thank the Government for supporting the agenda which would be heard during the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) meeting in Vanuatu from Nov 26-Dec 1.

Waroi said he wanted to thank the PNG Government and MPs like Culture and Tourism Minister Boka Kondra and NCD Governor Powes Parkop for creating avenues to enable the community to come together to celebrate.

“I know the long road to independence is our dream. If we cannot achieve it in our time, the next generation of West Papuans will,” he said.

“MSG has a condition that this agenda will become a reality for us (West Papuans) in PNG and back home if we are all united.

“I know back in West Papua they are still fighting but for us who are free in a nation like PNG, I want to appeal to all of you (refugees) to stand together and bear with the PNG government to push this agenda through the MSG, so it can be a pathway for all the West Papuans. 

“I appeal to individuals and NGOs to embrace this historical process to stand with us so that it can become a reality to the people of West Papua.”