Carmel Budiardjo, Tapol, meets Irish President Mary Robinson (later UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) - West Papua Action was launched on the same day, on 27 January 1996. Carmel Budiardjo, who launched the campaign, is now a patron of West Papua Action.

West Papua Action is a solidarity and campaigning initiative begun in Co. Laois, and formally launched in January 1996 in Kildare, Ireland.

It has worked at many levels in Irish society to bring awareness and concern to the question of West Papua.

Patrons: Carmel Budiardjo, Tom Hyland.

West Papua Action has hosted speakers/activists on many occasions:

Carmel Budiardjo of Tapol, who launched the initiative in January 1996, Léonie Tanggahma of the West Papua People's Front in May, and Max Ireeuw of the Free Papua Movement in September. John Ondawame was in Ireland for two weeks form January 26th, to February 6th, 1999. John Rumbiak supervisor of the West Papuan Human Rights organisation, IHRSTAD (Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy), made a brief visit in October 1999. Both Ms. Budiardjo and Ms. Tanggahma returned to commemorate 30 years of West Papua being off the United Nations agenda in November 1999. In February 2001, both Presidium Spokesperson for Europe, Viktor Kaisiepo, and Swiss journalist Oswald Iten visited, followed by John Rumbiak in April. Dr John Saltford visited in November. Fr. Neles Tebay was a guest in February, and again in August, 2002. Fred Korwa launched our UN review campaign in March 2002. John Saltford launched his book on the UN's role in the takeover of West Papua as a guest in November 2002. Octo Mote visited in February 2003. John Rumbiak, Carmel Budiardo were guests in May 2003, speaking at an event chaired by George Monbiot.

Speakers and activists have spoken on national and local radio, and on two occasions on national television, second and third level institutions, at conferences, and at public meetings. The national and local print media have also covered many of our activities.

In 2000, West Papua Action worked with PaVo (The Netherlands) and Tapol (London) to organise the First International Solidarity Meeting in the Netherlands; this was followed by the Second International West Papua Solidarity Meeting in 2001 in Germany, hosted by the Pacific Information Desk.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), members of Dáil Éireann (TDs), Senators, and senior government officials are regularly lobbied and kept informed of developments. A significant breakthrough was the all-party Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs resolution of 1996, which, inter-alia, expressed its deep concern at "the inadequacy of the 1969 "Act of 'Free' Choice" as a genuine expresson of self-determination on the part of the people of West Papua", and called on the Irish Government to "request the United Nations to investigate and act on the allegations of human rights abuses and on the question of the validity of the 1969 "Act of 'Free' Choice". Carmel Budiardjo and John Rumbiak have met, on separate occasions, the Irish Junior Minister for Foreign Affairs.

West Papua Action produces a newsletter, West Papua News. We have also published a booklet, West Papua in the Global Community. We respond to requests from the public and NGOs in both Ireland and abroad in an ongoing fashion. West Papua Action has received funding or in-kind support from: supporters, the Laois Justice and Peace Group, Midland Development Education Project, Trócaire, Concern, and the National Committee for Development Education. We are currently looking to broaden our sponsorship base.