W Papuans to be granted citizenship

MORE than 1500 West Papua refugees will be granted Papua New Guinea citizenship towards the end of this year, Parliament has been told.
Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato said Cabinet last November approved action to address the situation of many West Papua refugees living in PNG without official status.
He said this in Parliament yesterday when tabling the 2014 and 2015 annual reports of the Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority (ICSA) as well as to give an update on the agency’s progress and achievements.
“NEC’s decision will move people out of this limbo and enable them to obtain all of the rights and responsibilities of Papua New Guinea citizenship,” Pato said.
“Following this decision, ICSA has commenced the significant and historic task of registering and resolving the status of the thousands of Melanesian brothers and sisters from West Papua who have resided in PNG for many years.
“This is a major achievement which the O’Neill-Dion Government must be congratulated for.
“To settle these new citizens must not only rest well with the Government but with the people too.”