The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | World | Sun, May 05 2013, 3:40 PM
The government of Indonesia has issued a statement strongly
objecting to the opening of the so-called Free West Papua office in
Oxford on April 28. The Indonesian government has
asked its UK counterpart to be consistent in its policy of not
supporting any action related to the separatist movement in Papua and
West Papua.
“Indonesia’s ambassador in London has relayed the government’s position
on the matter to the UK government,” said Indonesia Foreign Minister
Marty Natalegawa in a press release sent to The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
The same disapproval has been sent to the British Embassy in Jakarta.
The government stated that the opening of the office was clearly
contrary to the good mutual relations between Indonesia and the UK.
As such, the opening of the office was felt to be contradictory to the
position taken by the British government, which has acknowledged the
territorial integrity of Indonesia. The new office also opposed the
international community’s view that firmly acknowledged the territorial
integrity of Indonesia with West Papua included as an integral part,
said the release.
“This development is a reflection of the desperation among separatists in dealing with that reality,” Marty said.
The office has been opened by the Free West Papua campaign, which is led
by British-based Papuan exile Benny Wenda, as well as with the support
of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP).
The IPWP was launched in Britain's House of Commons on October 15, 2008,
and is chaired by British politician Andrew Smith, a Labor Party
legislator.
The office opening was attended by Andrew Smith, the Lord Mayor of
Oxford Mohd Niaz Abbasi, former Oxford mayor Elise Benjamin and Benny
Wenda. (asw/dic)
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