Indonesia declares West Papua an ‘Internal Matter’ at MSG peace talks

Indonesia has made it clear that West Papua will not feature in Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) peace and security discussions, with its Ambassador to Fiji, Dupito Simamora, firmly dismissing the issue as an 'internal matter'.

When asked if West Papua was raised during the MSG Peace and Security Strategy meeting on Monday, Mr Simamora replied: “That particular issue that you are interested in, it is not an issue that will be discussed, and of course that is an internal matter of Indonesia.”

West Papua has long divided the MSG, with some Pacific nations backing independence movements while others maintain strong ties with Jakarta.

Mr Simamora stressed the need for MSG members to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity:

“I think it is necessary also to know that each and every country, sovereign and independent state of Melanesia, should fully uphold the principle of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity, and not interfering in internal matters of other countries.”

Instead, he shifted focus to Indonesia’s role in supporting the MSG Peace and Security Strategy and wider regional cooperation.

Unity First, Says Naivalarua

Fiji’s Minister for Policing, Ioane Naivalarua, said the MSG’s strength lay in its ability to rise above political differences.

“We’re talking about a unified effort to bring about a more peaceful, prosperous, and a unified region,” Mr Naivalarua said.
“There will always be differences in all aspects, whether it’s political, economic, security issues. But here you would have noted that the spirit of the MSG is all about a unified effort to take us forward and catapult our region forward.”

Indonesia joined the MSG as an associate member in 2015, bringing the West Papua issue into sharper regional focus. The Indonesian province has been pushing for independence since the 1960s, when Jakarta assumed control.