Prime Minister James Marape’s leadership will be tested when Parliament proceeds with a Vote of No Confidence next Thursday 12th September 2024.
The Tari-Pori MP has welcomed the Opposition’s alternate nominee for the Prime Minister’s post, Finschhafen MP, Rainbo Paita.
In the weeks leading up to Parliament this week, Prime Minister James Marape travelled abroad for bilateral meetings with leaders in the region.
Indonesia’s President-Elect, Prabowo Subianto also paid PM Marape a courtesy call in Port Moresby in August before the incumbent President’s inauguration next month.
Both leaders touched briefly on West Papua, the indigenous peoples sharing a land border with PNG and fighting for Independence from Indonesia since the 1960s.
Speaking to the media before leaving for the Pacific Island Forum in late August, PM Marape said, West Papua is within the sovereignty of Indonesia so it was responsible for addressing issues relating to sovereignty in West Papua.
While Indonesia’s President-Elect welcomed PNG’s insights on West Papua hinting greater respect for indigenous views on customs, culture, land rights and the preservation of indigenous heritage; these views have been met with skepticism by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. A Netherlands based Independence movement group.
Its international spokesperson, Raki Ap said of the visit by the President-Elect, “He is doing his best to travel the region to win the hearts and minds, basically buy time to create more injustice to West Papua.”
Raki Ap said an independent West Papua will change geo politics in the region. Climate change will be high on the agenda delivering cutting edge indigenous proposals.
West Papuan leaders abroad are actively campaigning a free West Papua as the Green State.
ULMWP President, Benny Wenda also welcomed the recent Pacific Island Forum call for Special Envoys and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visit to West Papua.
The Independence Movement Group wants to be active in the Pacific and especially within Melanesian countries. In PNG, it wants to convince political leaders to change the position of classifying West Papua as an internal matter for Indonesia.
All remains to be seen given PNG’s economic hardships and political maneuverings on the eve of a Vote of No Confidence against Prime Minister James Marape.
He asked the people to remain united as leaders consider who will best guide the country into the 50th anniversary next year and beyond.