As COP30 begins in Belém, Brazil, we the undersigned express our profound concern over the intensifying deforestation currently occurring in West Papua, Indonesia.  West Papua has been under Indonesian control since a controversial 1969 process, “the Act of Free Choice”, which saw 1026 West Papuans vote for integration into Indonesia under conditions of intimidation and violence..

We urge the leaders of the five Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) member groups to upgrade the membership status of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) at the upcoming MSG leaders’ summit. 

The IPWP notes with deep concern the recent announcement by Minister of Transmigration Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara that new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto plans to introduce a new transmigration programme to West Papua.  Transmigration has led to dramatic demographic change in West Papua. Between 1972 and 2000, over 300,000 Indonesians were relocated to West Papua, and the.