Riches & Resistance: The Independence Movement in West Papua

West Papuans participating in solidarity march for independence.

Although the nation of Papua New Guinea gained its independence in 1975, the Indonesian region of West Papua is still fighting for freedom. A region rich in natural resources, West Papua has experienced decades of brutal subjugation since Indonesia annexed it in 1969 under the Suharto dictatorship. West Papua is home to the Grasberg Mine, one of the world's largest gold reserves valued at over $100 billion. While this mine could benefit the region, it has instead exploited the local population.

Map of the Indonesia-West Papua Conflict, 2003-2010.

The Indonesian government, eagerly seeking Papua’s natural wealth, has employed its security forces to quash any opposition to the mining operations. The Grasberg Mine and other "economic development" projects are defended with violence, as the military uses brute force to suppress local resistance. This militarized economic exploitation has devastated the indigenous people, leading to land dispossession, environmental degradation, and cultural destruction. Despite sitting on such vast wealth, West Papua remains the poorest region in Indonesia, with a poverty rate three times the national average. West Papua also suffers from the highest infant, child, and maternal mortality rates in Indonesia, compounded by the worst health indicators and lowest literacy rates in the country. The combination of mining, deforestation, and internal colonization has stripped the indigenous West Papuans of their land, their livelihoods, and their autonomy.

The Indonesian military has committed some of the worst human rights abuses in modern history. For example, it has systematically terrorized the population, killing over 500,000 people in their efforts to maintain control over the region. Soldiers have forced women to wash in rivers before being raped in front of their children. In addition, women cook, clean, and provide food for the military.

The violence in West Papua continues to this day. In 2021, the West Papua Liberation Army killed an Indonesian general, provoking a massive retaliation from the Indonesian military. In response, the military carried out systematic killings, torture, and the displacement of over 5,000 West Papuans. Since 2018, the number of internally displaced Papuans has skyrocketed from 60,000 to over 100,000. The military blocks humanitarian aid to these displaced communities.

Even children in West Papua are subjected to massacres, torture, and arbitrary arrests. There are several reported instances of children witnessing their families being brutalized by soldiers. The Indonesian military has also recruited young boys to join guerilla warfare.

As West Papuans continue to fight for their freedom, international organizations and civil society groups are working to bring awareness and aid to their cause. The Free West Papua Campaign, led by an exiled West Papuan independence leader, is working tirelessly to secure the people’s right to choose their own destiny through a fair referendum. The campaign collaborates with politicians, NGOs, and various advocacy groups to pressure international bodies and governments to take action. Another organization, Papua Partners, works closely with local Indigenous groups, churches, and civil society organizations to promote peace and environmental justice in the region. Their efforts focus on empowering local communities to reclaim their land, preserve their environment, and restore their autonomy.

Below are the links to donate to the Free West Papua Campaign and Papua Partners.

Free West Papua Campaign

Papua Partners

Works Cited

Condon, Grace. “Country Report: West Papua.” Genocide Watch, 6 September 2022, https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/country-report-west-papua. Accessed 24 August 2024.

Cordell, Marni, and Zelda Grimshaw. “Indonesian military targets children in West Papua.” Genocide Watch, 25 January 2024, https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/the-kids-had-all-been-tortured-indonesian-military-accused-of-targeting-children-in-west-papua. Accessed 24 August 2024.

“Donate.” Free West Papua Campaign, https://www.freewestpapua.org/actions/donate/. Accessed 24 August 2024.

“Donate now.” Papua Partners, https://www.papuapartners.org/donate. Accessed 24 August 2024.

“President Wenda: Indonesia killing children in Intan Jaya.” United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), 9 April 2024, https://www.ulmwp.org/president-wenda-indonesia-killing-children-in-intan-jaya. Accessed 24 August 2024.

SHAHTAHMASEBI, DARIUS. “WEST PAPUA: THE GENOCIDE THAT IS BEING IGNORED BY THE WORLD.” Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development, https://www.indigenouspeoples-sdg.org/index.php/english/ttt/1081-west-papua-the-genocide-that-is-being-ignored-by-the-world. Accessed 24 August 2024.