West Papau (Indonesia): Green State Vision

Summary

In November 2021, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Provisional Government launched the Green State Vision for an independent West Papua at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. The document outlines a proposed framework for a future independent nation grounded in ecological stewardship and Indigenous Melanesian philosophy.

The Vision commits to establishing West Papua as the first “Green State” in human history. It describes the primary objective of the Green State as restoring “balance and harmony, amongst human and non human beings, based on reciprocity and respect” and that “sustainability and the conservation of biodiversity are important parts of this objective.”

Jurisprudential Framing
The Green State Vision is grounded in a “Green Philosophy” that reflects Melanesian ways of life that emphasize holistic relationships between “all communities of beings: spirits, plants, animals and humans, rather than individualism.”

“This Vision is our offer to the world. We have the just solution to the global climate crisis. My people have been looking after New Guinea’s green land for tens of thousands of years. Our rainforest are the lungs of the world, and we are its best guardians. The Indonesian government and multinational corporations are destroying our forest and killing our people. You cannot separate Indigenous West Papuans from the mountains, forests or rivers… We have been at peace with nature and all beings in our land for tens of thousands of years. The Green State Vision means peace, it means self-determination and independence. It means life and the preservation of all beings.”
– Benny Wenda (Interim President, ULMWP Provisional Government)

The document sets out commitments from West Papua’s government-in-waiting. It proposes that a future West Papuan state would prioritize ecological integrity and community well-being over economic growth, stating: “The Green State will be driven by the needs of society and the environment, rather than the economy… the laws and policies of the Green State will be oriented towards restoring and protecting the environment, and maintaining balance and harmony amongst people and the environment.”

Also among its commitments is criminalizing ecocide at the national level and advocating for ecocide to be made an international crime at the International Criminal Court.

Political and Ecological Context
West Papua forms half of the island of New Guinea, home to the world’s third largest rainforest after the Amazon and the Congo. The region is rich in natural resources, including one of the world’s largest gold and copper mine and extensive natural gas, timber, and palm oil.

West Papua was administered as a Dutch colony until 1961 and briefly declared independence before being annexed by Indonesia in 1962. Following a United Nations–backed referendum in 1969, widely criticized as fraudulent, the territory was formally incorporated into the Indonesian state. Indigenous West Papuans, who are ethnically Melanesian and culturally distinct from most Indonesians, have contested Indonesian rule for more than half a century.

In 2020, the independence movement announced the formation of a Provisional Government and a draft constitution for a future independent state. The Green State Vision serves as a guiding national framework if West Papua were to become an independent nation.

The document was developed with the assistance of international legal experts, including Solon Law, International Lawyers for West Papua, and UK barrister Jennifer Robinson of Doughty Street Chambers.