Jayapura, Jubi – The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has announced the suspension of memberships of prominent figures such as Benny Wenda and Buchtar Tabuni. This decision was conveyed through an Open Statement read by ULMWP’s Executive Secretary, Markus Haluk, during a press briefing in Jayapura City, Papua Province, on Monday (November 27, 2023).
The suspension of Benny Wenda and Buchtar Tabuni, among others, was attributed to various reasons. It was mentioned that Benny Wenda’s establishment of an Interim Government in 2020 showed limited progress and lacked accountability when presented to the ULMWP’s Second Congress in Port Vila, Vanuatu, in 2023.
Additionally, Markus Haluk highlighted concerns about the legitimacy of the ULMWP’s First Congress in 2023, organized by Buchtar Tabuni in Sentani, Jayapura’s capital. According to Haluk, this congress lacked a constitutional foundation within the ULMWP’s regulatory system, rendering it legally invalid.
“The formation of a new political syndicate within the ULMWP, aiming to push for an interim government format, fostering internal divisions within pro-West Papuan liberation group and leading to adverse effects on the movement’s progress for West Papua’s liberation,” said Haluk.
The ULMWP’s Open Statement forbids the use of the ULMWP name in any political format outside the decisions made during the Second Congress in Vanuatu in 2023. It affirms that the ULMWP’s leadership for the 2023-2028 term will adhere to the resolutions of the ULMWP’s Second Congress.
However, Buchtar Tabuni, the Chairman of ULMWP’s Legislative Council, contested the membership suspension, stating that such decisions should be made within a ULMWP Congress, not through press conferences or statements.
He emphasized the need for clear justifications and proper forums, respecting ULMWP’s organizational rules for membership suspension.
While Buchtar Tabuni acknowledged and respected the statements made by Markus Haluk and Manase Tabuni, he expressed intentions to readdress the membership suspension during the next ULMWP Congress in five years, considering it as an aspirational matter that needs discussion and resolution within the ULMWP’s official forums.
