Benny Wenda

Benny Wenda is a leader.

He wants his people to be free. Long ago, his home was a place of war. Many people in his family were lost. Benny had to hide in the jungle. Now, he lives in a new land. He lives in the United Kingdom. He talks to leaders in many lands. He wants them to help his people. He even makes music with his wife. They sing songs about freedom. Benny works hard for his home.

Benny Wenda is a leader from West Papua.

He wants his people to be free from Indonesia. Benny was born in the 1970s in a valley. When he was young, there was a war. Many people in his family died in the fighting. Benny was also hurt and his leg did not grow well. He and his family lived in the jungle to stay safe. Later, he went to college to study people.

Benny became a leader for his people. In 2002, he was put on trial. He said the trial was not fair. He escaped from custody and fled to a new land. He now lives in the United Kingdom. He works to tell the world about West Papua. He started the Free West Papua Campaign in 2004. He also started groups for lawyers and politicians.

Benny is very busy. He travels to many countries to speak. He and his wife, Maria, also make music. They sing songs about freedom. Benny has been named for the Nobel Peace Prize. He works hard to help his home.

Benny Wenda is a leader for the people of West Papua. He wants his home to be an independent country. Currently, West Papua is part of Indonesia. Benny works as a lobbyist to change this. This means he talks to leaders in other lands. He wants them to listen to the people of West Papua. He now lives in the United Kingdom. He was given political asylum there in 2003. This happened after he escaped from custody during a trial.

Benny's life changed a lot when he was very young. He was born in the 1970s in the Baliem Valley. This area is in the highlands of Irian Jaya. In 1977, there was a lot of fighting in his home. The Indonesian military used aircraft to bomb villages. Many of Benny's family members were killed in these raids. One of Benny's legs was also badly injured. Because of this injury, his leg did not grow fully. He and his family lived in the jungle to stay safe.

As he grew up, Benny became a leader for his tribe. He studied sociology at Cenderawasih University in Jayapura. Later, he became the Secretary-General of the Koteka Tribal Assembly. This group was started by tribal elders. They wanted to protect the customs and beliefs of their people. Benny also helped lead the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. This group, called the ULMWP, was formed in 2017. It brought three main political groups together. In 2020, Benny became the interim president of this movement.

Benny uses many ways to tell his story to the world. In 2004, he helped start the Free West Papua Campaign in Oxford. This group tells people about human rights in West Papua. He also started the International Lawyers for West Papua in 2009. In 2008, he helped start the International Parliamentarians for West Papua. This group includes politicians from many different countries. In 2013, Benny went on a 'Freedom Tour' to many places. He visited the US, Australia, and New Zealand. He even spoke at the Sydney Opera House.

Benny's work has earned him many honors. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice. In 2019, the city of Oxford gave him a special award. He and his wife, Maria, also make music together. They are known as The Lani Singers. They sing traditional songs about freedom. They have performed at big festivals like Glastonbury. A film about his life came out in 2015. It is called The Road to Home. This film won an award in Amsterdam.

Benny Wenda is a prominent political leader from West Papua. He works as an international lobbyist for the independence of West Papua from Indonesia. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). This organization was formed in 2017 to unite three major political groups. Wenda also served as the interim president for a government-in-waiting established in 2020. Because of his political work, he lives in exile in the United Kingdom. He has acted as a special representative for the Papuan people in several international bodies. These include the British Parliament, the United Nations, and the European Parliament.

Wenda's early life was shaped by significant conflict in the Baliem Valley. This area is located in the central highlands of Irian Jaya, Indonesia. He was born in the 1970s, though his exact birth date is unknown. In 1977, a rebellion involving 15,000 Lani people occurred due to military violence. The Indonesian military responded by using aircraft to bomb Lani villages in the highlands. These raids killed many of Wenda's family members. During these bombings, Wenda suffered a severe leg injury that impaired his growth. From 1977 to 1983, he and his family lived in hiding within the jungle. Eventually, he attended Cenderawasih University in Jayapura to study sociology.

As he entered adulthood, Wenda took on roles in tribal and political leadership. He became the Secretary-General of the Koteka Tribal Assembly, known as DeMMAK. This group was created by highland tribal elders to protect local customs and values. DeMMAK advocates for full independence from Indonesia rather than special autonomy. Wenda also represented the council of elders in various political negotiations. In 2002, he faced a trial regarding an independence rally that turned violent. Authorities alleged that participants torched shops and killed a policeman. Wenda maintained that the charges were politically motivated. He eventually escaped custody while on trial and fled to Papua New Guinea. He later traveled to the United Kingdom, where he was granted political asylum in 2003.

Wenda has used his time in exile to build global support for his cause. In 2004, he became a leading spokesperson for the Free West Papua Campaign. This group was founded in Oxford to spread awareness of human rights in West Papua. The movement has grown to include student groups at British universities and offices in the Hague and Port Moresby. In 2011, the Indonesian government issued an Interpol red notice for Wenda's arrest. However, an investigation by Fair Trials International concluded in 2012 that the notice was an abuse of the system. Interpol subsequently removed the notice from its database. This victory helped Wenda continue his work as a peaceful political activist.

To increase political pressure, Wenda helped launch several specialized international groups. In 2008, he became a founding member of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP). This group includes politicians from the UK, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and Vanuatu. Their goal is to pressure the United Nations to re-run the Act of Free Choice. In 2009, he also launched the International Lawyers for West Papua. This group works to establish a legal framework for West Papuan self-determination. Wenda also conducted a 'Freedom Tour' in 2013. He visited the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and other nations to discuss self-determination. During this tour, he spoke at the Sydney Opera House before an audience of 2,500 people.

Beyond politics, Wenda is also a musical performer and a subject of film. He and his wife, Maria, perform traditional music as The Lani Singers. They released a debut album called Ninalik Ndawi, which means 'Freedom Song,' in 2008. The group has performed at major events like the Glastonbury Festival. In 2015, a feature-length documentary titled *The Road to Home* was released about his life. This film won the 'Best Documentary' award at the 2016 Amsterdam Film Festival. Wenda's efforts have earned him significant recognition. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice. In 2019, the Oxford City Council awarded him the Freedom of Oxford.

Wenda's leadership has faced challenges and internal disputes. In 2020, his presidency of the ULMWP was disputed by members of the West Papua National Liberation Army. They claimed his residence in the United Kingdom made his leadership illegitimate. In September 2023, he was succeeded by Menase Tabuni. However, a congress in Jayapura in November 2023 resulted in Wenda being reinstated as President. This has led to an ongoing leadership dispute with Tabuni. Throughout these political shifts, Wenda remains a central figure in the movement. His work connects local highland traditions with international legal and political systems. He continues to advocate for the basic rights of the Papuan people.