The National Committee for West Papua ( id, Komite Nasional Papua Barat, abbreviated as KNPB) was established on 19 November 2008 by a number of Papuan non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It campaigns peacefully for a self-determination referendum for the Papuan people of West Papua (i.e. the

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...

of Papua and West Papua). The right to self-determination was provided for in an agreement between the Netherlands, Indonesia and the UN in 1962.

Overview

The

International Parliamentarians for West Papua The International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) are a cross-party political group of politicians from around the world who support self-determination for the people of the Indonesian region of West Papua. History IPWP were launched at t ...

(IPWP) and the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP) support the case of the KNPB, using legal methods to realize the right to self-determination of the Papuan people of West Papua. They recognize the West Papua National Committee as the local advocate for self-determination, according to Mario Pigei of the KNPB. At a KNPB rally marking the registration of the IPWP and ILWP at the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

, coordinator Mario Pigei said "Human rights violations continue being committed in Papua with the killings of Papuan leaders like Kelly Kwalik"Papuans rally to gain international support
Markus Makur,

The Jakarta Post ''The Jakarta Post'' is a daily English-language newspaper in Indonesia. The paper is owned by PT Niskala Media Tenggara and based in the nation's capital, Jakarta. ''The Jakarta Post'' started as a collaboration between four Indonesian med ...

, Timika. 28 January 2010 The KNPB tries to achieve its goals through non-violent means and with dignity. KNPB cooperates with the

and the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP). KNPB was formed in 2008 in Jayapura by various Papuan NGOs. In April 2009, eight protesters were killed by police during a demonstration, organized by the KNPB, involving more than 15,000 people. A police officer was wounded by an arrow. In 2009, at the suggestion of the KNPB, hundreds of Papuan students in Java, Bali, Makassar and Manado made an exodus back to Papua to set up shelters in the field in Sentani, where

Theys Eluay Dortheys Hiyo Eluay (known as Theys Hiyo Eluay; 3 November 1937 – 10 November 2001) was an Indonesian local politician from Irian Jaya (currently Papua) turned West Papuan independence activist. Known as the former leader of Papua Presidium ...

is buried. They were, however, chased from there by the police. Several students were arrested and imprisoned. On 22 March 2010, the KNPB organized a series of new street demonstrations. Fifteen participants were arrested after police used firearms to disperse the crowd. In November 2010, the Congress of the KNPB elected Buchtar Tabuni as chairman, Augustine Trapen as Secretary, Mako Tabuni as vice-chairman, and Victor Yeimo as International Spokesperson. KNPB branches were established in almost all regions of West Papua. The KNPB has also representatives in Jakarta and Manado. The KNPB has a strong international network. Buchtar Tabuni and Victor Yeimo were both arrested and sentenced to three years' imprisonment charged with incitement and a breach of the security of the state of Indonesia.Victor Yeimo
/ref> In 2011 Buchtar was again imprisoned, charged with destroying prison property, while in custody. In May 2012, a German tourist, Pieter Dietmar Helmut was non-fatally shot while swimming with his wife in Base G beach, the perpetrators were later revealed to be members of extremist faction of KNPB led by Mako Tabuni, three members were later caught and charged with manslaughter. His deputy, Mako Tabuni, was assassinated on 14 June 2012 by plain cloth police officers, members of the anti terrorist unit

Densus 88 Counterterrorism Special Detachment 88 ( id, Detasemen Khusus 88 Antiteror), or Densus 88, is a tier one Indonesian National Police counter-terrorism squad formed on 30 June 2003, after the 2002 Bali bombings. It is funded, equipped, and trained ...

. Victor Yeimo succeeded Buchtar Tabuni as chairman, but went immediately in hiding as the police was also after him. In September 2012, bomb-making material was found at the KNPB secretariat in Wamena, with nine men arrested were charged under a law banning the possession, transfer, sale or use of explosives. The KNPB has been successful in mobilizing thousands of people in almost all regions of West Papua. On 2 August 2011, the ILWP organized a Conference to seek legal ways to resolve the political status of West Papua. According to ILWP, the present status is considered illegal as the population never was enabled to exercise the right to self-determination to which it was entitled according to international treaties, which were supervised by the UN.

External links

Official Website of the KNPB

KNPB on YouTube

KNPB Sentani Branch

Statement by Viktor Yeimo

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:National Committee For West Papua Separatism in Indonesia Secessionist organizations Independence movements National liberation movements Politics of Indonesia Political organizations based in Indonesia Organizations based in Papua (province) 2008 establishments in Indonesia

Overview

See also

External links

References