Thousands expected to attend Third Papuan People’s Congress

Bintang Papua, 6 October 2011Jayapura: The Third Papuan People’s Congress is due to commence in a week’s time. According to Selpius Bobii, chairman of the organising committee and Forkorus, Yaboisembut, chairman of DAP, the Papuan Traditional Council, a number of international personalities have been invided, including Kofi Annan, former general-secretary of the United Nations, and US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Sub-Committee of the US Congress. But as yet, there has been no response to these inviations.’Although we know for sure that Congressman Faleomaveaga will not be able to attend,  he suggested that we should also invite Ban Ki-Moon, which we have done.’

Other persons who have been invited from abroad are waiting to see whether they will be issued with visas by the Indonesian embassy in their country.

The event which is now drawing near will, according to Selpius Bobii, be the uppermost forum of the Papuan people for the adoption of decisions on a number of agenda items, and some of the participants have already arrived. These are from components or organisations, youth groups and women’s groups, the TPN/OPM, traditional groups and others. ‘They will have the right to vote,’ he said..

No final decision has yet been taken about the venue of the event which is likely to be attended by tens of thousands of people. ”If three places that have been approached cannot be used, we will have to hold it on Theys Square. With regard to the  possibility that some people may  want to fly the morning star flag during the event, all we can do is to make suggestions. We have asked people not to fly the morning star flag, which people may acknowledge. Let’s hope they will listen to what we say.’