About the Campaign

History

The Free West Papua Campaign was launched in 2004 in Oxford, UK.

We have grown from being a volunteer organisation through to having permanent offices in Oxford (UK), The Hague (Netherlands), Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) and Perth (Australia). We are a group of people from human rights, political and environmental backgrounds, a number of whom have spent time in West Papua. Our leadership comes from Papuan representatives here in the UK, and in West Papua itself.

Aims

We are a peaceful, public campaign, whose aim is very simple: to give the people of West Papua the freedom to choose their own destiny through a fair and transparent referendum – a freedom they have always been denied. We work with politicians of all parties, and also with other NGOs and campaign groups, both national and international, towards this aim.

We have no religious, party-political or corporate affiliations, and we are determinedly non-violent. Our funding comes from donations, the sale of merchandise, public fundraising events and occasional grants from charitable foundations.

For more information about the aims and structure of the Free West Papua Campaign please take a look at our Guidelines for Free West Papua Supporters and Groups.

Leadership and direction

West Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda provides the political leadership and direction of much of our work. Benny was elected the head of DeMMak, a pan-tribal assembly in West Papua which works peacefully for independence.

Benny was forced to flee his homeland after he was arrested, tortured and threatened with death by Indonesian police. He now lives in the UK with his family, representing his people in exile and in 2004 he founded the Free West Papua Campaign. Benny has been twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and in 2014 was elected as the Spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, an internationally recognised organisation.

You can read more of Benny’s story here.