West Papua activists in Solomons ahead of MSG summit

12:09 pm on 9 July 2016

Members of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua have arrived in Solomon Islands ahead of the expected Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders' summit next week.

United Liberation Movement for West Papua members Mama Yosepha Alomang, Edison Waromi, Andy
Ayamiseba and Jacob Rumbiak with the Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare (centre),

United Liberation Movement for West Papua members Mama Yosepha Alomang, Edison Waromi, Andy Ayamiseba and Jacob Rumbiak with the Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare (centre), Photo: MSG

The Solomon Star reports the West Papua campaigners arrived in Honiara on separate flights.

The MSG summit was originally scheduled for Port Vila in Vanuatu at the start of May, but moved to Port Moresby towards end of June.

Then it was postponed again because the leaders could not find time to meet during the Asia Caribbean Pacific meeting in Port Moresby.

It was understood the MSG Leaders' Summit will now be held back to back with the Pacific Islands Development Forum which is also scheduled to be held in Honiara next week.

The paper reports that peaceful demonstrations are expected during the MSG Leaders' Summit with West Papuan supporters denouncing human rights violations by by Indonesia in Papua.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs