April 22, 2026 in News

A Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on West Papua was held in the Dutch Parliament yesterday (21^st April 2026).

Held in the Parliament of West Papua’s former coloniser, the hearing focused on the current situation in West Papua, the Indonesia–EU Free Trade Agreement, and the ongoing demand for a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua. Following the hearing, a screening of the film “The Promise” was held in the Parliamentary cinema room. This marks the first time that a film about West Papua has been shown in the Dutch Parliament.

The hearing, hosted by Christian Union MP Don Ceder, was addressed by ULMWP Interim President Benny Wenda, UK Labour MP and IPWP Chair Alex Sobel, ULMWP spokesperson Raki Ap, and Waida Vogel-Bwefor of the ZMP Foundation (working for self-determination for West Papuans and Moluccans).

Indonesia continues to refuse the UN access to West Papua despite mounting international pressure. 110 countries have demanded a UN visit, including all member states of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), the European Commission, and individual nations including the UK, Spain, the USA, and the Netherlands.

However, as Alex Sobel stated in his remarks at the hearing, the EU’s forthcoming Trade Agreement with Indonesia threatens to undermine this pressure. Along with Interim President Wenda, Mr Sobel urged EU member states to refuse to ratify the FTA until Indonesia accedes to the EU’s demand for a UN visit.

Demonstrations were held across West Papua in support of the meeting.