Separatist leaders in West Papua have announced the formation of a full cabinet as part of a provisional government, set up to undermine Indonesia’s rule over the troubled region.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua, which is a coalition of independence groups, set up its own provisional government in December.
It’s led by Benny Wenda, a separatist leader living in exile in Britain and has now appointed a ministerial cabinet and 12 departments including Foreign Affairs and Defence.
Mr Wenda says the departments are working underground to undermine Indonesia’s rule from within the province.
“We are moving towards forming a new state inside West Papua based on the principle of human rights and environmental protection,” Benny Wenda told Pacific Beat.
The rights of all beings will be at the heart of our new cabinet agenda. Our number one priority is ensuring the survival of our people and our culture and our environment”.
“Enough is enough and the world must support alternative authority within West Papua,” he said.
The move comes amid escalating violence between separatist groups and Indonesian security forces, after Indonesia’s chief security minister declared Papuan separatists as terrorists.
“We need to convince the world, particularly our brothers and sisters in the Pacific.
We successfully lobbied in the Pacific Islands recognise our struggle,” Mr Wenda said.Duration: 7min 39secBroadcast: Mon 3 May 2021, 6:00am
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/
