Wamena, Jubi – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and Indigenous communities from the Lapago customary region marked the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples at the KNPB Balim secretariat in Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Highlands Province, on Sunday (9 August 2026).
The gathering also served as a consolidation and mobilisation meeting ahead of a planned peaceful demonstration in Jayawijaya on 15 August 2026.
KNPB Balim chair Mardi Hiluka said the group and Indigenous communities across Lapago were marking the international day because they consider themselves part of the world's Indigenous peoples.
He criticised Indonesia's integration of Papua into the country through the 1969 Act of Free Choice (PEPERA) and what he described as the 1962 New York Agreement, saying the process has had lasting consequences for Papuans.
"Today, West Papuans continue to face oppression and injustice, with many becoming internally displaced on their own ancestral land," Hiluka said during the commemoration.
He said the KNPB was protesting the Indonesian government, Dutch imperialism and American capitalism, which he accused of maintaining control over Papua for global economic interests through the New York Agreement.
"This is part of our mass consolidation ahead of the peaceful demonstration on 15 August 2026, rejecting the political history surrounding the New York Agreement," he said.
Meanwhile, KNPB chairman Agus Kossay said 9 August was established internationally as a day recognising Indigenous peoples around the world, including Indigenous Papuans.
"This international covenant recognises that Indigenous peoples existed before the modern world, with their own customary lands, territories, forests and natural resources. This includes the Papuan people on this land," Kossay said.
He said Indonesia, as a member of the United Nations, should respect and protect Indigenous Papuans in accordance with international agreements recognising Indigenous peoples.
Kossay said the KNPB and Papuan communities in Lapago had gathered at the KNPB Balim secretariat because the international day provides an opportunity to highlight the rights of Indigenous peoples.
He accused the Indonesian government of accelerating the exploitation of natural resources across Papua, from Sorong to Merauke, and said Indigenous communities faced increasing threats from land appropriation and large-scale development projects.
He cited National Strategic Projects (PSN), the Freeport gold mine in Mimika, the Wabu Block, nickel mining, oil and gas projects and other natural-resource developments as examples.
Kossay also referred to recent statements by President Prabowo Subianto and his cabinet regarding what they described as one of the country's largest gold deposits in Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province.
He accused the government of mapping the area and pursuing development on customary land without the consent of Indigenous communities.
The KNPB said Indigenous peoples in Papua are protected under international agreements and called on Indonesia to respect their rights. It also rejected development projects undertaken by the Indonesian government in Papua without community consent.
The organisation specifically rejected all National Strategic Projects on Papuan land that proceed without the approval of local communities.
As part of its commemoration on 9 August, the KNPB called on its supporters to occupy and consolidate in the Lapago customary region of Papua Highlands Province.
The KNPB central leadership said it was prepared to take responsibility for the activities, including mass consolidation and mobilisation, which it described as a humanitarian effort to raise concerns about alleged human rights violations, customary land appropriation and civilian deaths amid the armed conflict between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and Indonesian military and police forces.
The KNPB said it stood with Papuan communities and urged Jakarta to open space for peaceful dialogue and negotiations to address the political conflict in Papua.
It argued that the Papua conflict could not be resolved through military deployments or the exploitation of natural resources.
The KNPB called on the Papua Highlands provincial government, Papua Highlands legislature, Papua Highlands People's Assembly, Jayawijaya military commander and Jayawijaya police chief to allow the planned peaceful demonstration on 15 August 2026.
The protest is intended to raise concerns over what the KNPB describes as a humanitarian crisis and military violence in Papua.
Source: https://en.jubi.id/knpb-marks-international-day-of-the-worlds-indigenous-peoples-in-jayawijaya