| Benny Wenda | |
|---|---|
| Speaking at the launch of IPWP in the Houses of Parliament, London, October 2008 | |
| Leader of the Koteka Tribal Assembly, DeMMak, Free West Papua Campaign | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1975 Baliem Valley, Papua |
| Alma mater | Jayapura |
| Website | www.bennywenda.org |
Benny Wenda is a West Papuan tribal leader and an international lobbyist for the independence of West Papua from Indonesia. He lives in exile in the United Kingdom. In 2002 he was granted political asylum by the British government following his escape from custody while on trial.
He is a leading figure on the international scene for the independence movement of West Papua and has been a special guest in the British Parliament, United Nations and European Parliament as a representative of the Papuan people.[1]
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Benny was born in Pyramid Village in the Baliem Valley in the central highlands of West Papua. In 1977, when he was two years old, the Indonesian military undertook aerial bombing raids over the highlands and most of Benny's family were killed. He was subsequently raised by an uncle. Wenda was appointed leader from the elders in his tribe.[2] He attended university, in Jayapura, studying Sociology & Geo-Politics.
After leaving university, Wenda became Secretary-General of Demmak (Dewan Musyawarah Masyarakat Koteka), the Koteka Tribal Assembly. Demmak was established by highland tribal elders with the goal of working towards recognition and protection of the customs, values and beliefs of the tribal people of the West Papuan Highlands. It advocates independence from Indonesia, and rejects special autonomy or any other political compromise offered by the Indonesian government. As Secretary-General of Demmak, Wenda represented the council of elders. The organisation supported PDP negotiations with Jakarta to the extent that they represented the aspiration of the Papuan peoples, which they claimed was independence from Indonesia.[3]
Wenda was taken into custody in 2002 for allegedly leading a procession of people who made a violent attack in Aberpura, torching two shops and killing a policeman.[4] Wenda maintains that his arrest and the charges against him were politically motivated, coming at a time when authorities were clamping down on leaders of the independence movement. This clampdown had led to the assassination a few months earlier of the leading pro-independence figure Theys Eluay.[5] Media reports state that Wenda was facing a 25 year jail sentence if found guilty. He was also allegedly subjected to death threats whilst being held in custody.[3]
Wenda escaped prison while on trial. Helped by West Papua independence activists he was smuggled across the border to neighbouring Papua New Guinea. He was later reunited with his wife Maria at a refugee camp. Several months after this he was helped by a European NGO to travel to the UK where he was granted political asylum.[6][7][8]
After arriving in the United Kingdom, Benny set up the Free West Papua Campaign. The campaign's stated aims are to spread awareness of the human rights situation in Western New Guinea and the independence of West Papua, through lobbying governments and developing support throughout civil society. The Free West Papua Campaign movement in the UK has grown to include permanent student groups at British universities and regional groups.[3]
With British MP Andrew Smith and the peer Lord Harries, Benny Wenda is a founding member of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua. This cross-parliamentary group was launched at the Houses Of Parliament in London in October 2008, and was attended by British parliamentarians including Lembit Öpik and Baron Avebury, as well as politicians from Papua New Guinea, Australia and Vanuatu.[9]
The group is actively developing support from politicians around the world, and its overall aim is to assert enough political pressure on the United Nations to implement a re-run of the Act of Free Choice. As well as the UK launch, IPWP has also had launch events in the European Parliament, Scottish Parliament and also Papua New Guinea.
In April 2009, Benny Wenda launched the International Lawyers for West Papua. The launch saw a series of high level meetings held by international lawyers in Guyana in South America. The aim of this group is to develop a framework within the international legal community towards outlining the legal basis for West Papuan self-determination, and the "illegality" of the Indonesian "occupation of West Papua".[10] The launch of International Lawyers for West Papua coincided with Guyana stating their support for West Papuan independence.[11]
Benny and his wife Maria perform traditional West Papuan music as The Lani Singers. In 2008 they released their debut album. Entitled 'Ninalik Ndawi' (Freedom Song), it received reviews in national newspapers including the Guardian and Observer, and music magazines fRoots, Songlines and the Wire. They also did interviews and live sessions on 'World Routes' on BBC Radio 3 and 'A World In London' BBC Radio London.[12] They have also performed at Musicport Festival, Glastonbury Festival and the Thames Festival in London.
Benny and Maria met while studying in West Papua, and have been married since 1999. Since being granted political asylum by the British Government they have lived in Oxford with their six children.