Papuan nonviolent fighters: who are they?

Since the racist anti-Papuan incident that took place in Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, more and more Papuans have joined the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to voice their right to self-determination.

Who are these Papuans? According to Markus Haluk, executive director of ULMWP, the majority of them are young men, especially students. However, recently there has been a growing number of young women and even the elderly. They take part in actions, speeches and come face-to-face with the security forces. Many of them have been victims of violence from the authorities. Their actions took place in city centers. 

By far the largest movement happened in 2019, against Indonesian racism. It has taken place in 40 cities in West Papua, Indonesia and even abroad. Besides, on a number of occasions, Papuan entrepreneurs who are members of the Customary Chamber of Papuan Entrepreneurs (KAP-Papua) have taken action to demand that the government provide rules in their favor. In the PT Freeport company, West Papua's biggest gold drainer, there is a Papuan labor group (Tongoi Papua). Tongoi actions took place in 2007-2010. Then a joint action that carried out open protests against PT Freeport's policies, especially the discrimination of rights between Papuan and non-Papuan employees, as well as Indonesian and foreign workers. As a result, more than 8,000 people were laid off. This action took place in 2015. These 8,000 PT Freeport employees are still unemployed. 

Papuans in exile such as in PNG (Port Moresby), Australia (Canberra, Sydney), Netherlands, UK, US often conduct open protests against the Indonesian occupation of West Papua. Although the issue of West Papua has not received as much attention as the war in Ukraine, the international solidarity with the struggle of West Papuans is increasing.