ULMWP Rejected as a Member of MSG: Implications for the West Papua Liberation Efforts

Implications for the Liberation of West Papua of ULMWP's Rejection as a Member of MSG

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) is an organization that strives to achieve independence for West Papua, a province in Indonesia. In 2015, the ULMWP applied to become a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), a regional organization made up of Melanesian countries in the Western Pacific. 

However, the ULMWP's application to become a member of the MSG was rejected in 2017. One of the reasons for the rejection of this application is that Indonesia, as a country that is part of the Melanesian region, has political and strategic interests in this matter. 

Indonesia maintains that West Papua is part of its territory and opposes the ULMWP's efforts to fight for independence. 

As a result, the ULMWP application was rejected, and the organization has not become a member of the MSG to date. 

Nonetheless, ULMWP is still working hard to achieve its goals and coordinating with other organizations with similar interests.

There are a few other things to know about ULMWP and MSG:

1. MSG Goals: The Melanesian Spearhead Group was founded in 1986 with the aim of promoting economic and cultural cooperation among Melanesian countries.
2. MSG Membership: Currently, MSG members consist of Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands.
3. Criticism of the MSG: Some have complained that the MSG does not have sufficient power to influence important issues in the region, such as human rights and political issues.
4. Public opinion about ULMWP: Public opinion about ULMWP varies widely, depending on each individual's point of view and background. Some West Papuan people and human rights activists fight for independence for West Papua, while others oppose it and consider West Papua an integral part of Indonesia.
5. Re-discussion of MSG members: In 2020, several MSG members requested a re-discussion of ULMWP membership. However, until now there has been no definite decision regarding this matter.
6. Political and human rights issues: Political and human rights issues continue to be a concern in the ULMWP and West Papua contexts. Many parties ask to resolve human rights issues and guarantee fair treatment for the people of West Papua.