Pacific / West Papua

Papuan groups declare boycott of Indonesia's elections

13:28 pm on 19 February 2019

Two Papuan groups have declared that West Papuans won't vote in Indonesia's upcoming elections.

Joko Widodo Photo: AFP

The Indonesian People's Front for West Papua, or FRI West Papua, and the Papuan Student Alliance say Indonesia's government has failed Papuans.

CNN reported the groups announced last week they would not take part in the 2019 presidential election on 17 April.

Incumbent Joko Widodo is being challenged by former military man Prabowo Subianto.

Papuan Student Alliance member Erepul Sama says neither candidate has handled human rights violations in Papua well.