Wantok Blong Yumi Bill
Encyclopedia
The Wantok Blong Yumi Bill was a bill
unanimously adopted by the Parliament of Vanuatu
in June 2010. It was derived from a "People’s Petition", tabled in Parliament by Independent MP
Ralph Regenvanu
.
The bill's purpose was to express Vanuatu's recognition of West Papua's independence from Indonesia
, and to commit Vanuatu to actively seek observer status for West Papua in the Melanesian Spearhead Group
and the Pacific Islands Forum
. The bill was supported both by Prime Minister Edward Natapei
and opposition leader Maxime Carlot Korman
, along with their respective parties. The government stated that the bill would "allow [it] to develop specific policies on how to support the independence struggle of West Papua". The bill's adoption was praised by the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation
, which said it would "fulfill the dream of Fr Walter Lini
[Vanuatu's first Prime Minister] who started this struggle in Vanuatu by saying that Vanuatu will not rest until it sees its brothers and sisters in the [sic] Melanesia
get their freedom".
One consequence of the bill was that Vanuatu would "request [United Nations] General Assembly
support for the International Court of Justice
to provide an advisory opinion on the process in which the former Netherlands New Guinea
was ceded to Indonesia in the 1960s".
Reviewing the bill, Islands Business
described it as "perhaps the most significant development in recent times as regards regional support for the long suffering territory’s cause and for openly and officially espousing its independence from Indonesia", adding that it "captur[ed] the pan Melanesia
n spirit across political boundaries": "[I]f and when West Papua gets the independence and self rule it deserves, its people will have much to feel grateful to its Melanesian brethren across the Coral Sea
". The New Zealand Herald described the bill as "reflecting a pan-Melanesian spirit across political boundaries".
"Wantok Blong Yumi" is Bislama for "Our Wantoks". Wantok is a Bislama, Tok Pisin
and Pijin word which comes from the English
"one talk", and means people who speak the same language, belong to the same culture, are friends and help one another out.
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
unanimously adopted by the Parliament of Vanuatu
Parliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
in June 2010. It was derived from a "People’s Petition", tabled in Parliament by Independent MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Ralph Regenvanu
Ralph Regenvanu
Ralph John Regenvanu is a ni-Vanuatu anthropologist, artist and politician. He has been a Member of Parliament since September 2008, a member of Cabinet for most of the period since December 2010, and was the Director of the Vanuatu National Cultural Council from 1995 until December 2010.He has...
.
The bill's purpose was to express Vanuatu's recognition of West Papua's independence from Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and to commit Vanuatu to actively seek observer status for West Papua in the Melanesian Spearhead Group
Melanesian Spearhead Group
The Melanesian Spearhead Group is an intergovernmental organization, composed of the four Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as well as the FLNKS of New Caledonia. It was founded as a political gathering in 1983...
and the Pacific Islands Forum
Pacific Islands Forum
The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum...
. The bill was supported both by Prime Minister Edward Natapei
Edward Natapei
Edward Nipake Natapei Tuta Fanua`araki is a politician from Vanuatu. He was elected Prime Minister of Vanuatu on two separate terms, and was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs briefly in 1991, the acting President of Vanuatu from 2 March 1999 to 24 March 1999 , and Deputy Prime Minister...
and opposition leader Maxime Carlot Korman
Maxime Carlot Korman
Maxime Carlot Korman is a ni-Vanuatu politician, formerly serving as Speaker of the Parliament and formerly as acting President. He served as Prime minister of Vanuatu for nearly five years, first from 16 December 1991 to 21 December 1995 and again from 23 February 1996 to 30 September 1996...
, along with their respective parties. The government stated that the bill would "allow [it] to develop specific policies on how to support the independence struggle of West Papua". The bill's adoption was praised by the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation
West Papua National Coalition for Liberation
The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation is an umbrella group for organizations seeking independence for West Papua, such as the Free Papua Movement. It was formed on December 20, 2005. Its Secretary General is Rex Rumakiek....
, which said it would "fulfill the dream of Fr Walter Lini
Walter Lini
Father Walter Hadye Lini was an Anglican priest and the founding Prime Minister of Vanuatu. He was born on Pentecost Island. During the era when Vanuatu was a condominium ruled by the United Kingdom and France, Lini formed the Vanua'aku Pati, which was principally backed by English-speakers...
[Vanuatu's first Prime Minister] who started this struggle in Vanuatu by saying that Vanuatu will not rest until it sees its brothers and sisters in the [sic] Melanesia
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
get their freedom".
One consequence of the bill was that Vanuatu would "request [United Nations] General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
support for the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
to provide an advisory opinion on the process in which the former Netherlands New Guinea
Netherlands New Guinea
Netherlands New Guinea refers to the West Papua region while it was an overseas territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1949 to 1962. Until 1949 it was a part of the Netherlands Indies. It was commonly known as Dutch New Guinea...
was ceded to Indonesia in the 1960s".
Reviewing the bill, Islands Business
Islands Business
Islands Business is a "multimedia publishing company" established in the 1970s in Suva, Fiji.With correspondents throughout Oceania, it describes itself as the "premier publishing group in the Pacific Islands region", with fourteen outlets in digital and video media as well as printed magazines...
described it as "perhaps the most significant development in recent times as regards regional support for the long suffering territory’s cause and for openly and officially espousing its independence from Indonesia", adding that it "captur[ed] the pan Melanesia
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
n spirit across political boundaries": "[I]f and when West Papua gets the independence and self rule it deserves, its people will have much to feel grateful to its Melanesian brethren across the Coral Sea
Coral Sea
The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu and by New Caledonia, and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands...
". The New Zealand Herald described the bill as "reflecting a pan-Melanesian spirit across political boundaries".
"Wantok Blong Yumi" is Bislama for "Our Wantoks". Wantok is a Bislama, Tok Pisin
Tok Pisin
Tok Pisin is a creole spoken throughout Papua New Guinea. It is an official language of Papua New Guinea and the most widely used language in that country...
and Pijin word which comes from the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
"one talk", and means people who speak the same language, belong to the same culture, are friends and help one another out.