Aust ralian Greens invited to visit West Papua

Greens accept invitation to visit West Papua

Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today met with a delegation of West Papuan leaders from the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation, and accepted an invitation to visit the troubled province as soon as is possible.

The delegation of civil society, human rights and political organisations from West Papua was in Melbourne to participate in workshops on non-violent strategies to achieve self-determination in West Papua.

External spokesperson for the Coalition Rex Rumakiek extended the invitation to Senator Nettle to visit West Papua at today's meeting in Melbourne.

"I am hoping to visit West Papua to see for myself the situation on the ground that has led the 43 West Papuans now in immigration detention on Christmas Island to flee their country. My office has begun the process of arranging an official visit," Senator Nettle said.

"West Papua has been closed off to foreign journalists by the

Indonesian government and so it is all the more important that concerned politicians from around the region visit.

"The delegation told me that there are many more would be refugees who are seeking to flee overseas to salvage some hope for their lives.

"The West Papuans are keen to invite foreign parliamentarians to visit their province in order that their situation can be better understood. I hope to be a part of that process."

The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation is a grouping of ex-military groups, civil society groups, and political groups who have unified under one umbrella to seek non-violent ways to achieve self-determination for West Papuans.

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