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Free Papua Movement’s military and urban civil factions reject Benny Wenda’s government-in-exile
“Today, on Dec. 2, the KNPB has made a decision to reject the interim government declaration,” a leading member of the KNPB, Warpo Sampari Wetipo, said.
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Benny Wenda (Courtesy of ULMWP/-)
T
he Free Papua Movement’s military faction, the TPNPB and the urban civilian faction, the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), have rejected the so-called West Papua government-in-exile declared by Benny Wenda, the leader of United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), on Dec. 1 in the United Kingdom.
Both the TPNPB and KNPB are part of ULMWP but they occasionally disagree with other factions’ decisions, including those made by Benny. TPNPB and KNPB members are relatively younger than the activists within the ULMWP.
Sebby Sambom, spokesperson for the TPNPB, which is led by Goliat Tabuni, said Benny had failed to bring unity to ULMWP and accused the exiled leader of failing to mobilize the people as part of their fight for freedom on the ground.
“His claim as the interim president of the West Papua Republic is a result of the ULMWP’s and Benny’s failure [to mobilize Papuans],” he said.
He said the TPNPB did not acknowledge Benny’s declaration because he did it in a foreign country, thus lacking legitimacy from the majority of Papuans. Sebby said Benny could not be the president because he was a UK citizen. International law states a foreigner cannot be the president of a nation, Sebby added.
The KNPB also announced their rejection on Wednesday. “Today, on Dec. 2, the KNPB has made a decision to reject the interim government declaration,” a leading member of the KNPB, Warpo Sampari Wetipo, said.
He said the declaration could undermine the unity of Papuans. “The decision to form an interim government was not based on collective considerations within the West Papuan people’s democratic process,” he said.
