By Pita Ligaiula -September 17, 2025
United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) President Benny Wenda has welcomed the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ communique reaffirming their 2019 call for a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visit to West Papua, but warned that continued delays risk undermining the region’s credibility.
“On behalf of the ULMWP, I welcome the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) 2025 Communique reaffirming the 2019 call for a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visit to West Papua,” Wenda said.
Forum Leaders recalled Indonesia’s 2018 invitation for such a mission and tasked the Secretariat to work constructively with Jakarta on a proposed visit by Forum Leaders Envoys in 2026, in consultation with the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat.
Wenda said the one-year notice again gives Indonesia time to act but stressed that patience is wearing thin.
“The ULMWP is pleased to see that PIF leaders have again given Indonesia a year’s notice to organise a visit for Envoys visit. However, as Ralph Regenvanu noted at this year’s Leaders’ Meeting, Indonesia’s ongoing refusal to allow a visit, seven years after it was first promised, is undermining the credibility of the Pacific at large. There must be consequences should Indonesia continue to fail to honour their promise to facilitate UN access to West Papua.”
He described the Forum’s 2019 decision as a watershed moment.
“The 2019 call was a very important milestone for West Papua and our international advocacy efforts. The Pacific stood up with one voice and demanded that Indonesia West Papua – the ‘festering human rights sore’ of our region – to the eyes of the world. The ULMWP is encouraged to see Pacific support reaffirmed.”
Wenda urged Forum members to keep the issue on the global agenda.
“It is my hope that PIF nations keep up this momentum by mentioning West Papua and the humanitarian crisis at this year’s UN General Assembly in New York. UNGA is the highest stage of the international community and a place to apply real pressure on Indonesia to allow UN and PIF access.”
He added that Indonesia’s unfulfilled commitments had dire consequences.
“The initial call for a UN visit was made in 2019, a year after Indonesia coloniser President Widodo promised to facilitate access. Since then, the Indonesian criminal occupier has displaced over 100,000 West Papuan civilians, leading to the deaths of over 1000, and has embarked on an unprecedented campaign of environmental destruction across our land.”.