On March 27, 2025, Benny Wenda, the Interim President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), held what was described as a historic meeting with the European Union. The meeting, titled “The Anti-Colonial Struggle in the Pacific,” was organized alongside a Member of the European Parliament from the Basque Country, Pernando Barrena.
In his speech, Benny Wenda stated that there is currently a humanitarian crisis occurring in West Papua and called for support for self-determination based on international law. This meeting was also framed as an effort by Benny Wenda’s group to bring their struggle to the heart of Europe, highlighting what they describe as the ongoing occupation of Papua.
Benny Wenda’s claims regarding a humanitarian crisis in Papua, allegedly caused by human rights violations committed by foreign forces (Indonesia), drew a response from Steve Mara, Chairman of the Melanesian Youth Diplomacy Forum (MYDIF).
Steve Mara stated that Benny Wenda should be ashamed for presenting Papua’s situation as a humanitarian crisis caused by the Indonesian government. The reality today is that Papua is undergoing extensive development aimed at improving human resources and infrastructure to support this progress.
Moreover, it is actually Benny Wenda’s group and the armed separatist factions in Papua that have been carrying out acts of terror, instilling fear among Papuan communities. One such incident occurred on March 21, 2025, when the Free Papua Movement (OPM) murdered a teacher in the Anggruk district, Yahukimo Regency.
After the murder, the petite female teacher was accused of being an Indonesian military member. However, in reality, she was a dedicated educator who had spent her youth educating indigenous Papuan children in the region.
Additionally, this group has been responsible for numerous killings of healthcare workers, pilots, motorcycle taxi drivers, entrepreneurs, road construction workers, and other innocent civilians in Papua.
Therefore, if the concern is truly about humanitarian issues, the group should urge their own members, particularly the Free Papua Movement, to renounce the use of weapons and stop killing innocent civilians in Papua.
The Indonesian government, through its regional representatives—including the Governors of Papua, South Papua, Central Papua, Highland Papua, West Papua, and Southwest Papua, as well as all Regents and Mayors in Papua—are indigenous Papuans assigned to develop the region. They are entrusted with managing development funds provided through the State Budget (APBN) via special allocation funds, general allocation funds, and the region’s own revenue and development budget. Papua’s development programs must be supported by all Papuans to ensure a prosperous future for the region, rather than resorting to violence or spreading misinformation to the international community that does not reflect the actual situation on the ground.
