WEST PAPUAN LEADERSHIP NOW CENTRED IN WEST PAPUA

UNITED LIBERATION MOVEMENT FOR WEST PAPUA - ULMWP

Sekretariat Kantor Pusat Koordinasi Dalam Negeri, Jln. Mapilema, No. 11 Wamena

Kabupaten Jayawijaya- West Papua. Email: officeulmwp@mail.com,

hmarkushaluk@yahoo.com

MP: +62-85244442502

From left to right, Markus Haluk secretary of ULMWP, Benny Wenda on Foreign Affairs, Paola Makabori representative of WPNCL, Menase Tabuni President of ULMWP and Octovianus Mote Vice President of ULMWP - ULMWP for Jubi

WEST PAPUAN LEADERSHIP NOW CENTRED IN WEST PAPUA

4th September 2023

At the second ULMWP Summit held in Port Vila beginning 22 August, a new leadership structure has been formed to continue the struggle from within West Papua itself. There were 50 representatives attending the summit who had travelled from inside West Papua and around the world to be in Port Vila for only the second summit since ULMWP was formed in 2014.

Menase Tabuni has been announced as the new President and will lead the Executive of ULMWP from inside West Papua so it maintains presence and solidarity with the Papuan people on the ground.

“I am honoured to be appointed as the new President of the ULMWP and will do everything I can to continue our legitimate struggle for independence. We must do this from within West Papua as well as campaigning in the international community. I will remain in Papua with the people as we continue to fight for human rights and self determination” said President Tabuni.

The new Executive structure of the organisation is as follows:

Menase Tabuni - President

Octo Mote - Vice President

Markus Haluk - Secretary

Benny Wenda - Foreign Affairs

Buchtar Tabuni - Chair of Legislative Council

Apolos Sroyer - Chair of Judiciary Council

The ULMWP continues to be an umbrella organisation representing all the main groups within West Papua. This includes the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL); Federal Republic West Papua (NFRPB); and the National Parliament of West Papua (PNWP).

Working with the Executive are Paula Makabory and Rex Rumakiek (WPNCL); Jacob Rumbiak (NFRPB); Oridek Ap (PNWP) and others. The objective of the summit was to announce a new leadership and create a strategic roadmap for the next five years. ULMWP also wishes to clarify that there is no ‘Provisional Government’ in place and ULMWP is the representative body for all Papuans.

The ULMWP welcomes the decision by MSG leaders to push Indonesia to allow for the visit by the UN’s Human Rights Commissioner to visit West Papua along with a Pacific delegation so the international community has a better understanding of the real situation on the ground in West Papua. The ULMWP continues to demand that access for the international media to be able to West Papua and report freely. Indonesia cannot call itself a democracy while it keeps its largest province hidden from the world.

The ULMWP would also like to sincerely thank the Vanuatu government for hosting the MSG summit and ULMWP groups. We thank the people of Vanuatu for their continuing support, including the Malvatumauri National Council of Chiefs; SHEFA province; the Pacific Council of Churches and all those leaders and groups within the Pacific region who continue to maintain their solidarity with us in our struggle for freedom.

Finally to the West Papuan people at home, we are united and committed to work together to achieve our vision for an independent, democratic nation of West Papua within the Pacific family.

For international media enquiries please contact Benny Wenda (+44 7411053953)

benny_wenda@yahoo.com

For Indonesian media enquiries please contact Markus Haluk (+62 8524444250)

hmarkushaluk@yahoo.com