Benny Wenda

Benny Wenda
Speaking at the launch of IPWP in the Houses of Parliament, London, October 2008
Interim President of the
ULMWP Provisional Government
(In Exile)
In office
December 2020 – September 2023
President of ULMWP
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 2023 disputed with Menase Tabuni
Personal details
Born1975 (age 48–49)
Baliem Valley, Irian Jaya, Indonesia
ChildrenSeptinus Wenda
Residence(s)Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

Benny Wenda (born 1975) is a West Papuan independence leader and Chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). He is an international lobbyist for the independence of West Papua from Indonesia. He lives in exile in the United Kingdom. In 2003 he was granted political asylum by the British government following his escape from custody while on trial.

He has acted as special representative of the Papuan people in the British Parliament, United Nations and European Parliament.[1] In 2017 he was appointed as the chairman for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), a new organisation uniting the three main political organisations struggling for the independence of West Papua.[2]

In 2020, the ULMWP announced a new constitution and government-in-waiting for the Republic of West Papua, with Wenda serving as interim president.[3] His presidency was disputed by some elements of the West Papua National Liberation Army (Indonesian: Tentara Pembebasan Nasional Papua Barat), claiming his stay in the United Kingdom making his presidency illegitimate. [4]

He was succeeded by Menase Tabuni in September 2023.[5] In November 2023, he was reinstated as President of ULMWP after a congress in Jayapura, starting a leadership dispute with Menase Tabuni.[6][7]

The Free Papua movement is accused of a number of attacks against local civilians, but this has not been independantly confirmed. The group is known for kidnapping and murdering foreigners who enter the area.[8][9]

  1. ^ "United Nations meeting". FPCN. 5 January 2009. Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  2. ^ "Wenda elected as new head of West Papuan liberation movement". RNZ News. Radio New Zealand. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  3. ^ Doherty, Ben (1 December 2020). "West Papua Independence Leaders Declare 'Government-in-Waiting'". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  4. ^ Briantika, Adi (2 December 2020). "TPNPB OPM Tolak Pemerintahan Sementara Papua dari ULMWP Benny Wenda". tirtoID (in Indonesian). Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Benny Wenda stands down as head of Papua liberation group | RNZ News". Radio New Zealand. 4 December 2023. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Benny Wenda back as ULMWP president, but faces factional friction - ABC Pacific". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 December 2023. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  7. ^ "ULMWP suspends key members Benny Wenda and Buchtar Tabuni, sparking leadership dispute | West Papua Daily". 4 December 2023. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  8. ^ Corlett, Eva (7 February 2024). "New Zealand pilot kidnapped a year ago in West Papua will be freed, rebel group says". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  9. ^ "New Zealand helicopter pilot killed in Papua". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 5 September 2024.