Bougainville independence movement

Statement for the representatives of Melanesians of West Papua, Madang, Papua New Guinea

By Mr Moses Werror, Chairman
1 June 1998

Dear Friends of West Papua,

The West Papuan struggle for independence is now into is 35th year. It has been a constant struggle under an oppressive and brutal Suharto regime where our people have been tortured, displaced, dispossed and killed in the name of a fraudulent independence engineered by Indonesia, the United States of America, the Netherlands and backed by the United Nations.

West Papua was sacrificed to Indonesia, by the United States, the Netherlands and the United Nations to prevent Indonesia from falling into Communist hands and to save the region from the percieved threat of war.

Thirty six years later communism no longer exists in South East Asia, the Cold War is over and now with the timely removal of Suharto from office, we the people of West Papua strongly request our rights as the indigenous people of West Papua to be recognised and demand that steps be implemented to implement a protocol for eventual independence by the year 2000.

The OPM Revolutionary Council since the First of May 1962 have followed a 7 stage strategy designed to restore independence to West Papua and give freedom to its peoples. The seven stages and it specific strategies are as follows:

1st Stage 1964-1969 Act of Free Choice.
2nd Stage 1970-1975 WP/OPM Government.
3rd Stage 1976-1981 Restructuring OPM Forces.
4th Stage 1982-1987 OPMRC with leadership.
5th Stage 1988-1993 International Campaign.
6th Stage 1994-1999 International Recognition.
7th Stage 2000-2005 Independent State of West Papua.

For the first time we have been united in our efforts and given the political upheaval that has occurred in Indonesia over the past two months and the final peoples victory, we the Representatives of Melanesians of West Papua wish to take advantage of the political climate to advance our cause for independence.

We have for the first time unified to form a Representative body of over 500 respected individuals both inside West Papua, Indonesia and in exile and have taken a solemn oath to support the first West Papuan National Delegation to continue the International Campaign and Lobby for West Papuan Independence.

It is now our united goal to bring the governments of Indonesia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Nations Secretary General to the conference table with West Papuan leaders to discuss the political independence of West Papua before the year 2000. The first West Papuan National Delegation will be visiting certain countries in the near future to acquire the support of a single nation to reinstate our case for independence on the United Nations Agenda and we believe that with your political, financial and spiritual support; we will soon find an everlasting solution to a very long and lonely struggle for West Papuan freedom.

Finally it is our wish to restore the good name of the United Nations, Indonesia and the Netherlands government, who were involved in handling the West Papua case in 1969.

Please continue to support your local West Papuan activists and NGO's, and I would like to thank you again for your sympathy and loyalty and ask that you support the first West Papuan National Delegation.

Yours Sincerely,

Moses Werror
Chairman
Bougainville Interim Government.