Why do many Papuan languages not distinguish between l and r sounds?

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Papuan languages Map of the languages found on the Doberai Peninsula of New Guinea.

In many Papuan languages, the sounds /l/ and /r/ are not distinguished because they function as allophones rather than separate phonemes. In these linguistic systems, the spoken word commonly varies freely between these two articulations without resulting in a contrast in meaning.1

This lack of distinction is part of the generally simple phonology characteristic of many Papuan languages, which often feature restricted sets of continuant sounds. Because these languages do not use the difference between /l/ and /r/ to differentiate words, speakers may alternate between them without altering the intended message.1