18 Facts About Benny Wenda

Benny Wenda was born on 1975 and is a West Papuan independence leader and Chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.

Benny Wenda is an international lobbyist for the independence of West Papua from Indonesia.

Benny Wenda has acted as special representative of the Papuan people in the British Parliament, United Nations and European Parliament.

In 2020, the ULMWP announced a new constitution and government-in-waiting for the Republic of West Papua, with Wenda serving as interim president.

Benny Wenda's presidency was disputed by some elements of the West Papua National Liberation Army, claiming his stay in the United Kingdom making his presidency illegitimate.

Benny Wenda was succeeded by Menase Tabuni in September 2023.

Benny Wenda was born in the Baliem Valley, in the central highlands of Irian Jaya, Indonesia.

Benny Wenda's date of birth is not exactly known; in his website, he only wrote that he was born in the 1970s.

Benny Wenda was appointed leader by the elders in his tribe, and later after the Lani people surrendered to the Indonesian military he attended Cenderawasih University in Jayapura, studying Sociology.

Benny Wenda was placed on trial in 2002 for allegedly leading a procession of people in an independence rally.

Benny Wenda maintains that his arrest and the charges against him were politically motivated, coming at a time when authorities were clamping down on leaders of the independence movement.

Media reports state that Benny Wenda was facing a 25-year jail sentence if found guilty.

Benny Wenda was allegedly subjected to death threats whilst being held in custody.

However, after a campaign led by Fair Trials International, in 2012 Interpol removed the red notice after an investigation concluded that the allegations against Mr Benny Wenda were "politically motivated and an abuse of the system" by the Indonesian Government.

In February 2013 Benny Wenda undertook a 'Freedom Tour' to the US, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, with the aim of raising awareness of the self-determination issue.

Benny Wenda was blocked from holding a speech at New Zealand national parliament.

In May 2013, Benny Wenda spoke at the Sydney Opera House as part of the TEDx series, getting a standing ovation in front of the audience of 2,500 people.

Benny Wenda has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize.