News Stories
Category: Human Rights
A referendum, not ‘autonomy’, is the only solution in West Papua
July 11, 2020
Statement from Benny Wenda, Chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) — For over 50 years, Indonesia has been promising West Papua ‘autonomy’. Each time, underneath autonomy lies only bullets and killings. As the 2001 Special Autonomy law expires this year, the United Liberation Movement and all the people of West Papua are united […]
West Papua freedom song features on new album Keleketla!
July 8, 2020
A song featuring West Papua independence leader Benny Wenda has been released on a new album. Keleketla! is an expansive collaborative project, reaching outward from Johannesburg to London, Lagos, Los Angeles and West Papua. “Keleketla!” started as a musical meeting ground between Ninja Tune co-founders Coldcut and a cadre of South African musicians, including the […]
Al Jazeera report on fraud and human rights abuses in West Papua land grabs
July 7, 2020
Al Jazeera has broadcast an investigative report produced in collaboration with Mongabay, The Gecko Project and the Korea Center for Investigative Journalism. It reveals how Korean-run companies are engaging in fraudulent deals and human rights abuses as they buy up rainforests in West Papua, forcing locals off their land to develop palm oil plantations. Watch […]
New book on West Papua – The Road by John Martinkus
July 2, 2020
John Martinkus, a four-time Walkley-nominated investigative reporter who previously covered the massacres in East Timor, has released a new book about the ongoing struggle for freedom in West Papua. Chemical weapons deployed. Choppers taken out. Communications repressed. Tens of thousands of people displaced. The West Papuan independence movement has reignited, and Indonesian troops are cracking […]
West Papuan activists convicted of treason after anti-racism protests
June 17, 2020
Originally published in The Guardian Seven Papuan activists have been found guilty of treason and sentenced to up to 11 months in prison for their involvement in anti-racism rallies in West Papua last year, a verdict that has been condemned by human rights groups. The men, known as the “Balikpapan Seven”, were convicted over protests […]
Benny Wenda speaks at Black Lives Matter rally in London
June 13, 2020
Yesterday West Papuan Independence Leader Benny Wenda the Chairman of The United Liberation Movement for West Papua – ULMWP spoke at the #BlackLivesMatter rally in London, UK about West Papua’s freedom struggle. “I’m here exiled, Indonesia put me 25 years in prison just for standing up, fighting for justice and freedom for my people. Just like Nelson Mandela, Martin Lither King, […]
West Papuans attacked by Indonesian military and police at hospital
June 11, 2020
URGENT: We have just received urgent reports from West Papua that on 10th June 2020, the Indonesian military and police shot at and beat up West Papuan people returning home to their village. This was done in the name of enforcing Covid-19 restrictions. Currently it is believed that at two West Papuan people were injured […]
Koteka Wenda speaks at Black Lives Matter rally in Oxford
June 9, 2020
Koteka Wenda, daughter of West Papuan Independence Leader Benny Wenda spoke at the Black Lives Matter/Rhodes Must Fall demonstration today in Oxford UK about her people’s ongoing struggle against Indonesian colonialism. “Since 1963 the Black West Papuan population have been victims of genocide, human rights abuses and ethnic cleansing at the hands of the Indonesian […]
Call the Indonesian police to release West Papuan political prisoners
May 29, 2020
At 7:00 in the morning on May 27th, two West Papuan activists, Gerson Son Tabuni and Kalep Kilungga were arrested without explanation by the Indonesian police in Kuala Kencana, West Papua. Gerson was shot in the leg and brutally tortured. His crime according to the police? Posting information on social media “that is at odds […]
West Papuan man killed by Indonesian police for protesting against palm oil company
May 23, 2020
We are deeply distressed to report the death of West Papuan man Marius Betera, who was killed on May 16th after being beaten up by the Indonesian police. The Indonesian police were called by palm oil company PT Tunas Sawa Erma after Marius arrived at their offices to complain that they had bulldozed his banana […]