10 Jun 2005

Papuan Presidium Council defends representatives in Vanuatu

2:52 pm on 10 June 2005

The Papuan Presidium Council has defended the positions of two Papua representatives in Vanuatu who are the subject of allegations.

A rival group, the West Papua New Guinea National Congress, has called on the Vanuatu government to deport Andy Ayamiseba and his fellow Free Papua Movement spokesman, John Ondawame.

The Congress has alleged Mr Ayamiseba has taken money from a Port Vila business and that Mr Ondawame was deported from PNG in 1979.

But the Indonesia-based Presidium Council's International Moderator, Willy Mandowen, says people in West Papua don't recognise this so-called Congress whose claims are unfounded.

He says the true and legal body for Papuans is the Papua Presidium Council.

"Mr Andy Ayamiseba and Mr Otto Ondawame have been assigned by the Papua Presidium Council to do the diplomatic work on behalf of West Papuans. So nobody, no institution, has the right to say anything on these two beloved brothers."

The Presidium Council's International Moderator, Willy Mandowen