Benny Wenda's West Papua Declaration; MPR: Govt Must Summon British Ambassador

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Bambang Soesatyo asked the government through the Foreign Affairs Minister to summon the British Ambassador over the declaration of the West Papua provisional government by the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) leader Benny Wenda.

“To ask for an explanation of the British government’s position regarding the movement of the Papuan separatist group led by Benny Wenda in accordance with prevailing international law,” said Bambang in a press conference at the Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs office on Thursday, December 3, 2020.

Bambang also asked the Foreign Affairs Minister to issue a diplomatic note on Indonesia's firm position about Papua, which must be conveyed to the British government and Pacific countries supporting Papuan independence, including Vanuatu.

He stated that the MPR strongly condemned the declaration of Papuan independence led by Benny Wenda, who is based in the UK. According to Bambang, it was an act of treason on behalf of the Papuan people.

The former speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) argued that the declaration was a unilateral claim that was against international law and the constitution. Indonesia, Bambang underlined, has legal sovereignty over Papua. 

Read: Govt Must Ignore Benny Wenda's Maneuver, Says UI Law Professor

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