New forms of colonization, same harm: how Indigenous Peoples in West Papua are resisting and protecting their land

“West Papua is not an empty land. It is inhabited by people who have a history, culture, and the right to live in peace and dignity. Now is the time for the international community to take action. This humanitarian crisis is not an internal matter for Indonesia, but rather a matter of human rights and global justice.”

An excavator destroys a meandering forest stream, carrying out deforestation to build the PT Global Papua Abadi sugarcane concession in Merauke, West Papua. Credit: Jurnasyanto Sukarno / Greenpeace

This article was co-authored by one of our Community Resource Exchange partners, an environmental defender from West Papua who prefers to remain anonymous for security reasons.

For centuries, Papuan Indigenous Peoples have protected the lush rainforests of their island—a precious sanctuary for the world’s biodiversity. Yet, due to the island’s strategic location and the relentless exploitation of its abundant natural resources, this land is increasingly under threat.

From the expansion of large-scale agricultural plantations to the establishment of new military bases, Indigenous Peoples are sounding the alarm over forced displacement, rampant deforestation and widespread repression. 

West Papua lies on the island of New Guinea, which is divided between Papua New Guinea to the east (independent since 1975) and Indonesia to the west. After enduring Dutch colonization, West Papua sought independence. However, in 1963 it was annexed by Indonesia, which six years later held a referendum ironically called “The Act of Free Choice,” a process marred by allegations of coercion and manipulation.

Since then, Indigenous Peoples have been facing militarization, armed violence, brutal human rights violations, mass internal displacement and the reckless exploitation of their natural resources. In response, they have powerfully challenged giant mining and agribusiness companies, launched legal battles and mobilized international solidarity – all in the struggle to assert sovereignty over their ancestral lands.

The threat of ecocide

After the Amazon and the Congo, West Papua has the world’s third-largest primary forest. Its incredibly diverse territory ranges from mountains with tropical glaciers to lowland mangrove forests and coastlines rich with coral reefs.

According to EJ Atlas, “the ecology of West Papua is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, with up to 7% of all plant and animal species found there.”

The diverse Indigenous communities of West Papua — drawing on their traditional knowledge — have safeguarded this unique environment for generations. They have sustainably managed the forest to support their livelihoods, cultivate food, and access natural medicines.

In recent years, however, deforestation has accelerated dramatically, endangering both biodiversity and Indigenous ways of life. According to the latest Global Nature Watch report, from 2001 to 2025 Papua has lost around 810,000 hectares of tree cover. This presents a stark picture of the threat of ecocide in the modern era. 

A long history of violations in the name of development

The expansion of harmful development projects in West Papua is not new. In 1967, the US-based mining company Freeport-McMoRan signed a deal with the Indonesian general Suharto’s regime, gaining sweeping rights over land and resources in West Papua without Indigenous consent, environmental review, or adequate compensation. First with the Ertsberg and later at the massive Grasberg mine – the world’s largest gold and third-largest copper mine – Freeport displaced the local Amungme and Kamoro Indigenous Peoples, leveled up sacred mountains, and caused large-scale environmental destruction. The mine’s toxic tailings poisoned the rivers and the forests were filled with toxic waste.

In 2001, WALHI – one of Indonesia’s leading environmental organisations – scored a landmark victory in its court case against Freeport. However, Freeport has continued to dodge accountability. The area around the mine is highly militarized and human rights groups have accused Freeport of financing the Indonesian military in Papua, and ignoring the soldiers’ human rights abuses, including violent attacks and gender-based violence.

The history of corporate expansion in Papua has consistently begun with the displacement of local indigenous landowners through military-backed approaches, thereby facilitating the domination of land and living spaces – a pattern that has persisted from the Freeport era of 1967 to the current “National Strategic Projects”.

Militarization, threats to civic space and reprisals

The different “development” projects in West Papua are heavily guarded by the Indonesian military, under the pretext of protecting sites from alleged threats of “separatist groups”. This heavy military presence poses serious threats to local community members, and particularly to local human rights defenders who are speaking out against human rights violations.

As reported by a group of UN experts, in the case of the Merauke food estate, for instance, “Five government-operated military companies, along with alleged private militias – who are armed but wear no uniforms – have been reportedly deployed in the region to oversee and enforce the project. Military forces are in charge of guarding land-clearing operations and have been allegedly intimidating and silencing any opposition. Residents have also reported

manipulation of signatures and coercion by military personnel to suppress resistance.” The UN experts also note that “Indigenous representatives who travelled to Jakarta to report these violations faced alleged intimidation by the military upon their return.”

According to the global organization CIVICUS, in Indonesia civic space is ranked as “obstructed” and Papuan activists in particular have been facing criminalization and attacks.

In May 2025, Indonesia introduced a new law requiring foreign journalists to obtain “police clearance” before reporting in the country. As reported by CIVICUS, “Journalists say the new rule was likely designed in part to restrict them from visiting West Papua, a province where activists say systemic discrimination and human rights abuses have been ongoing for decades”.

Additionally, from December 2018 to July 2026, the Indonesian military has launched large-scale operations in various districts of West Papua. As a result, around 123,000 residents have been displaced, with at least 900 people killed.

Resistance, against all odds

Despite the heavy repression, local Indigenous communities and human rights defenders have been standing up against the giant agribusiness and mining companies encroaching on their land. Over the years, several groups have tried to challenge corporations and the Indonesian government in court to protect their forest. Others have launched popular social media campaigns, such as the 2024 “All Eyes on Papua”, and mobilized international solidarity. The resistance slogan “Papua Is Not an Empty Land” has also gained widespread traction following the viral success of the film Pig Fest: Colonialism in Our Time. Despite facing numerous significant obstacles, they remain steadfast in their fight to protect the forests of West Papua and demand respect for their rights. They are united by the belief that affirming the role of the Indigenous People as guardians of Papua’s forest is a form of resistance – a way to care for the Earth amid the climate crisis.