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The total population of both provinces in the Island of Papua is around 3.2, million, including both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Papuans. One of the core questions concerns the purported 1.8, million signatures. Although it did not attract significant attention in the Indonesian national media, the petition drew controversy within the Papuan community. The UN Committee rejected the petition, arguing that its mandate is confined to dealing only with the seventeen states identified by the United Nations as "non-self-governing territories" ( rnz 2017b). Instead of presenting new facts, the Indonesians were dismissive and described the Papua statement as a "hoax" ( rnz 2017a, 2017b).Īnother diplomatic effort occurred in October 2017, when Benny Wenda, who was then the ulmwp spokesperson, submitted a petition to the UN Special Committee on Decolonization (also known as the UN Committee of 24) stating that 1.8, million Papuans had signed the document (Doherty and Lamb 2017). Despite having a smaller number of advocates than in the 71st Session, they managed to attract another fiery response from the Indonesian delegation. During the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2017, the case of Papua was raised again by the coalition of the willing: Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the Caribbean nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines ( rnz 2017a). If we look back over the last twelve months, ulmwp was effective in penetrating international politics by securing more international recognition beyond the Pacific. Over the next three years, the new ulmwp leadership has to prove to their constituents how effective it can be in implementing the mandate, which is first and foremost to advocate for the right to self-determination of Papuans. The original structure put emphasis on collegiality and equal participation of all leaders in order to accommodate representatives of all sides of Papuan politics. This action was different from the original design of pdp, which the Musyawarah Besar (Great Deliberation mubes) Papua had adopted. During their deliberations, the late Theys Eluay proclaimed himself chair and appointed Tom Beanal as his pdp deputy. This restructuring is reminiscent of similar dynamics that occurred back in 2000, when Papuans were about to establish the Presidium Dewan Papua (Papua Presidium Council, or pdp) during the historic Second Papuan Congress in Jayapura, which the author attended. New faces are Paula Makabory as treasurer and Oridek Ap as an executive member both are Papuan exiles who reside in Australia and the Netherlands, respectively. The composition of personnel, however, remains largely the same. Jacob Rumbiak is tasked with the spokesperson role. Benny Wenda is at the top of the pyramid as chair, with Octo Mote, the former secretary-general, as deputy the position of secretary-general is now held by Rex Rumakiek.

If the previous leadership was organized around the ulmwp secretary-general, suggesting the principle of first among equals, the new structure took on a more hierarchical shape.

There was also a significant change in the way they organize themselves. Toward the end of 2017, during their annual meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, Papuan leaders elected new leaders for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua ( ulmwp), who will serve the term of 2018–2021.