THOUSANDS of West Papuans have been forcibly displaced from their homes by Indonesian military operations in an attempt to plunder the region’s natural resources, independence leaders claimed today.

Leader of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Benny Wenda said he was saddened to hear that 2,400 civilians have been forced from their land in 19 villages in the Maybrat region.

“Maybrat is a peaceful place. The violence we are seeing now is a result of Indonesian state attempts to clear the local people and grab the gold and minerals that lie under the earth,” he said.