INACTION OVER NEW GUINEA CRITICISED

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 17

INACTION OVER NEW GUINEA CRITICISED

“The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, August 13. Australia and New Zealand should have fostered a “Melanesian federation” in answer to the Indonesian claims to West New Guinea. Dr K. B Cumberland, professor of geograiphy at the University of Auckland, told the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Geographical Society “Australia and New Zealand could soon come to their inaction.” he said.

"They have missed an opportunity of formulating a positive alternative to their policy of ignoring Dutch and Papuan views and to trusting Soekarno’s broken promises of seeking a peaceful solution.

“The years since 1949 offered them a wonderful opportunity to foster the development of a Melanesian Federation of Netherlands and Australian territories—end possibly also of the British Solomon Islands—and of preparing such a federation for early independence

“Had the £25 million a vear poured into these territories by Australia. Holland. Britain and the European Economic Community over the last decade been devoted to such an obiective. not only would the answer have been provided to Indonesia’s emo tv claims, but Melanesia would soon have been ready to take its place alongside Malaysia as an economically, politically and socially viable S’a’e.” Dr Cumberland, who recently returned from a visit to West New Guinea at the invitation of the Dutch Government, said the Papuans of both the Ne’herlands and the Australian territories were of the firm opinion that West Irian alone would not satisfy Indonesian ambitions

They were bitterly disappointed at the negative attitude of Australia in recent months.

D- Cumberland sa ; d nressure from the United States,

which was anxious to avoid further trouble and embarrassment in South-east Asia, had forced the Dutch to give way to President Soekamo’s “neo-colonial ambitions.”

In formulating the draft agreement, the only people not consulted were those most directly concerned —the Papuans.

They wanted self-govern-ment as soon as they could be prepared for it and the only Power they felt they could trust during the period of tutelage was the Netherlands.

The Papuans felt so strongly about this that there might well be resistance to the proposed change of sovereignty.

It was not appreciated that in Western Samoa, which was already independent. a smaller proportion of people enjoyed the franchise than the proportion of Papuans electing the New Guinea Council