PNG Governor warns Indonesian president Widodo over West Papua

PORT MORESBY, Aug 25, 2019, PNG Today. Papua New Guinea’s Port Moresby Governor Powes Parkop has strongly called on the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo not to take Papuans for granted, reported the PNG Today.

Parkop says today that if President Joko Widodo won’t take heed of what our people are asking him to peacefully solve the issue, East and West Papuans are going to stand united and nothing is going to stop them.

Powes Parkop has long been a supporter of the Papuan call for recognition as an independent state.

Governor Parkop says mobilization of Papuans has started because we are not taking this ill treatment anymore and alerts President Widodo that if he will take Papuans for granted he is to expect something more to come.

“I want to have peace with you (Widodo) because you are my neighbor, I want to exchange with you, I want to interact with you and build relationship. We don’t want to live with hate, discrimination, and in division”, Parkop said.

Parkop says as much as Papuans want to share their wealth and resources with Indonesia, but there is so much hate now because of the killings, rape and torture of Papuan people.

Port Moresby residents, churches, and few parliament leaders stand in solidarity and marched today from Kone field to Jack Pidik Park with some West Papuans after reports of an incident in Surabaya last week where Papuan students were harassed by a mob and later arrested.

The students were released, but the government response to the harassment, and lack of an apology to Papuans, has met with criticism in the Pacific Islands.

Governor Parkop’s call is supported by Northern Governor Gary Juffa, and Vice Petroleum Minister and Komo Magarima MP Manasseh Makiba.

Meanwhile Radio New Zealand reports Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo says he will invite prominent Papuans to his palace in the wake of the recent violence there.

The president’s office says an invitation will go out to traditional, community, and religious leaders.

Jokowi says the meeting will discuss ways to accelerate prosperity in Papua and West Papua provinces.