Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Declared on Oct. 19, 2011, during the Third Papuan People's Congress at Zakheus Square in Abepura, the so-called West Papua Federal Republic (NFRPB) celebrated its 10th anniversary of declaration on Tuesday.
The NFRPB is one of the three main political independence movements seeking independence for West Papua from Indonesia under the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). The other two organizations are the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) and the National Parliament of West Papua (NPWP).
Legislative Committee chair of the ULMWP Edison Waromi, who is also the Prime Minister of the NFRPB, asked both the WPNCL and the NPWP during his speech on Tuesday to maintain the ULMWP's integrity.
Waromi said that the NFRPB continued to pay attention to both the internal and external dynamics of the ULMWP following the Legislative Committee Summit in December 2019 and November 2020. The NFRPB also supported the ULMWP Summit in 2021.
"The West Papua Federal Republic as the founder of the ULMWP remains and will always fully support the leadership of the ULMWP. It is necessary to have a summit to discuss and resolve existing problems and differences so that we have a joint agenda for the Papuan nation through the ULMWP," said Waromi.
He said that the various dynamics that occurred after the two summits should not divide the struggle. Instead, such a dynamic could be a collective reflection and a starting point for building new strength to move forward with the ULMWP.
Further, Waromi invited all parties to strengthen the ULMWP to realize the demands for West Papua self-determination. He said that the ULMWP was a house that should not be empty and a bridge should not be broken. "Whoever we are Papuans, we cannot leave the ULMWP. ULMWP has become a big house, a common home for the Papuan people. It is the golden bridge for the Papuan people to cross into the Melanesian, Pacific, African, and the rest of the world," said Waromi.
NFRPB Secretary Markus Haluk added that the NFRPB declaration was a historic event that led the Papuan nation towards unity in the struggle for independence. The organization continues to bring up the Papuan issue at the United Nations (UN).
"[The declaration was a historical event that allowed various factions of the independent Papuan movement] to unite in the ULMWP and bring Papua to Melanesia, the Pacific, Africa, and to the point the UN Secretary-General spoke at the UN podium about the Papua issue. Let's keep praying and working, Lord Jesus takes care of us all," said Haluk. (*)