Papua (Indonesia)
The western half of the world's largest tropical island, New Guinea, is variously known as Papua, West Papua, West Irian, Irian Jaya and West New Guinea. It is disputed territory, claimed by both Indonesia and its own native peoples. Currently, the United Nations regards it as a province of Indonesia. The Indonesian authorities have renamed the province many times, and currently call it Papua — a source of great confusion, as Papua is the usual name for the southern part of the nearby independant nation. Papua New Guinea. (See also here.)
The administrative area also includes several nearby islands and shares a border with Papua New Guinea.
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2 Government 3 Postage stamps 4 See also 5 External links |
Papuans were the sole habitants of New Guinea for more than forty thousand years, and regard themselves as a Pacific culture.
It is believed the first Europeans to sight New Guinea were the Portuguese; though it was the Dutch vessel Duyfken which first recorded its travel along the southern coast of Papua in 1605. The Duyfken did not explore the coast of West Papua, but sailed south into the Gulf of Carpentaria, landing in northern Australia.
In 1828 the Dutch claimed the south coast of New Guinea west of the 141st meridian, and then added the north coast west of Humboldt Bay in 1848. Holland established trading posts in the area after Britain and Germany recognized the Dutch claims in treaties of 1885 and 1895. (At much the same time, both nations established their own colonies in New Guinea: Germany taking the north-east part which eventually became the Territory of New Guinea, and Britain taking te south-east part which later became the Territory of Papua.
The 1930s saw the first stirrings of a West Papuan nationalist movement, which grew out of Dutch missionary schools, notably through Rev. Izaak Samuel Kijne who taught Pan-Papuan nationalism and composed the Hai Tanahku Papua-"Oh My Land Papua".
In 1942 the northern coast of New Guinea and the nearby islands were occupied by the Japanese Empire. The war years introduced many West Papuans to the reality of an outside world, and saw the formation of the Angganita movement, which opposed Japanese and all non-Papuan incussions. Allied forces, mainly Australian and American and significantly aided by the native people, gradually expelled the Japanese through 1942, 1943 and 1944. (See Pacific War.) A large Allied staging base was constructed at Hollandia (now Jayapura) with Papuan assistance for operations in the Philippines.
After the war ended, the Dutch regained possession of the territory, which was at that time known as Dutch New Guinea. Also in 1945 the people of Java about 4000 km to the west were encouraged by Japanese Imperial officers to create a new country from Dutch possessions. Though loath to relinquish lands to a social elite which Holland suspected of being collaborators, the Dutch in 1949 gave independence to a new nation called Indonesia. Indonesia immediately demanded possession of Dutch Borneo and Dutch New Guinea.
In 1952, the Netherlands recognized Papuan self-determination as a right in accordance with Article 73 of the Charter of the United Nations, and began preparing the nation for independence. The territory was given a governor and an administration of its own, directly under the Hague. After repeated Indonesian claims for Papua, Holland invited Indonesia to present their claim to an International Court of Law, they declined. Concerned that invasion might be a possibility, Holland accelerated its education and technical programs in preparation for independence.
In 1961, a New Guinea Council, the first parliament, was installed; the Dutch Foreign Minister, Joseph Luns, launched a plan to have West New Guinea put under UN control. African countries, the Brazzaville Group, also called for the territory to be put provisionally under international control. On 19 October the Papuan National Committee introduced the national anthem, the Papuan flag (Morning Star), and decided the official name should be West Papua. West Papua declared independence December 1, 1961, with West Papuans providing policing and other services.
Independence was short lived. On December 19, 1961, Indonesia commenced a guerrilla war against Dutch forces including a minor naval battle January 19, 1962. Unknown to the Papuans, the Netherlands, under pressure from the United States, begun negotiations with Indonesia and in August produced the "New York Agreement". The Australian government, which had been a firm supporter of the Dutch independence position, also reversed its policy.
The agreement, ratified in the UN September 21, 1962, stipulated the Dutch would transfer authority to a United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) on October 1, 1962, and the UNTEA to hand the territory to Indonesia on May 1, 1963, until a UN-conducted "Act of Free Choice" could determine the will of the people.
Since 1962 consistent reports have surfaced of programs of suppression including genocide; imprisonment; and aerial bombardments. The Papuan population then commenced their resistance to Indonesian integration and occupation, both from through civil disobedience such as Morning Star flag raising ceremonies and the forming of the quasi-military Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM, or Free Papua Movement) in 1964.
In 1969 the UN allowed Indonesia to conduct the poll of Papuan will. Indonesia deemed public voting was unnecessary and the military selected representatives accordingly, then provided some training in the Indonesian language and wishes; and finally these selected people were ready to line up and provide a public vote for the assembled troops and two western observers. The observers left after witnessing the first two hundred votes for integration.
In August 1969, Indonesia deemed Papuans to have voted in support of the integration of West Papua into Indonesia and formally annexed the territory.
Aerial bombardment of the Akimuga homelands in 1977 announce construction of the worlds largest copper and gold mine (also the worlds largest open cut mine). Under a Indonesian agreement signed in 1967 two years before the "Act of Free Will", the US company of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc holds a 30 year exclusive mining license for the region from the official openning (1981). Though locals make several violent attempts to dissuade the mine owners including blowing up a pipeline in July; these are easily stopped.
The 1990s saw Indonesia accelerate its Transmigration Program and ship approximately 1.2 million Islamic Javanese into West Irian over a ten year period. (Prior to Indonesian rule, the most people in the territory belonged to Catholic, Protestant or tribal religions.) As the new settlers are based in town, whereas the Melanesian Papuans are dispersed throughout the country including its mountainous interior, this changes the demographics.
A West Papuan congress in 2000 again calling for independence resulted in a military crackdown on independence supporters. In 2001 a now majority Islamic population was given limited autonomy. An August 2001 US State Department travel warning advised "all travel by U.S. and other foreign government officials to Aceh, Papua and the Moluccas (provinces of North Maluku and Maluku) has been restricted by the Indonesian government".
In 1999 it was proposed to split the province into three government controlled sectors, sparking Papuan protests (see external article). In 2003 Megawati signed an order dividing Papua into three Islamic controlled provinces: Central Papua (Papua Tengah), Papua (or East Papua - Papua Timur), and West Papua (Papua Barat).
The nature of Indonesian government in West Papua is controversial. International opinion varies a great deal. Some view it as naked colonialism, others maintain that Indonesia represents a legitimate authority with a willing people. Frank expression of views is complicated by the delicate and troubled relationship many nations have with Indonesia.
According to the United States Country Studies - Library of Congress report about Indonesian government structure:
In 1961 the Revolutionary Provisional Government of West Papua adopted a flag and arms on 19 October in Dakar, Senegal. The Dutch recognized these symbols on 18 November 1961 (Government Gazettes of Dutch New Guinea Nos. 68 and 69). An elected Niew Guinea Raad (New Guinea Council) became the first Papuan Parliament. When Indonesia took over the territory, the teachers were the first targets and victims of the Indonesian security forces.
Niew Guinea Raad (New Guinea Council) a Papuan Parliament elected in 1961.
Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM or Free Papua Movement) often mis-portrayed as a militant movement, seeks peaceful dialogue and to maintain their Melanesian culture. Papuans are willing to die for their independance, but inside West Papua where no media is allowed Papuans already die without meaning.
During the 1960s, the region had its own postage stamps. The first were overprints reading "UNTEA" (United Nations Temporary Executive Authority) applied to the stamps of Dutch New Guinea, issued in 1962. There are four slightly different types of overprint, three types applied locally, and a fourth made in the Netherlands and sold by the UN in New York City.
These were superseded on 1 May 1963 by stamps of Indonesia overprinted "IRIAN BARAT" and a series of six commemoratives whose designs included a map of Indonesia stretching "from Sabang to Merauke" and a parachutist landing in New Guinea. These, as were later issues in 1968 and 1970, were inscribed both "IRIAN BARAT" and "REPUBLIK INDONESIA". The last issue specifically for the territory consisted of two depicting birds (Black-Capped Lory and Bird of Paradise), issued 26 October 1970.
A Melanesian homeland, the nation of West Papua was invaded in 1961 and claimed as an Indonesian territory in 1969; the region has been renamed from West New Guinea to Irian Barat, to Irian Jaya (1973), to West Papua (2000), and then Papua (2002).
Papuans are Melanesian, a Pacific ethnic people including those of the Solomons, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji. Like the mountains of Greece, Papua has developed a diversity of seperate cultures and languages; there are 253 known languages and over two hundred additional dialects.
Though Indonesia had no legal claim to invade or claim West Papua, they gained United States support for the invasion and claim in exchange for non-engagement with the Soviet Union (Refer to US Dept. State declassified Summary of South East Asian Foreign Policy for 1962, third parapgraph). As Indonesia is an Islamic Asian nation, its military occupation of a largely Christian Papuan nation has resulted in on-going programs of genocide as defined by Yale University (see "Application of Law to Genocide" in External Links) and documented by the US Dept. of State in 2002.History
Government
Indonesian government
In January 2003, Indonesia divided the territory into three provinces. The formality of installing a local government for Jaraka in Papua Barat (west) took place in February 2003 and a governor was appointed in November; a government for Papua Tengah (central) was delayed from August 2003 due to violant local protests. It appears the creation of a government for this area has been shelved.Papuan representatives in exile
Background
Representative organizations
The Papuan Presidium Council is a 31-member umbrella group established in 2000 to negotiate a referendum to end the Indonesian occupation of West Papua. The Council was chaired by Theys Eluay, chief of the Sentani tribe and former Chair of the Act of Free Choice Council established by Indonesia in 1969. Theys was assassinated on 11 November 2001. Prepesentatives
An army of doctors, philosophers, and activists.
;Nicolas Jouwe, b.1921:Deputy Chairman of Niew Guinea Raad; he had been a member of the US Allied Forces sent to Borneo in 1940s, returning to West Papua as an liasons, after the allies left he became important in his tribe (Kayu-Pulau, Kayu-Batu, Tobati, Enggros, Nafri, and other villages in Port Numbay). He protested the Act of Free Choice, and managed to attend the UNGA in New York and submitted his Note of Protest. He then went to Holland and established an NGO called HAPPIN, a NGO supporting Indonesian and Papuan students.
;John Rumbiak:Head of West Papua Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy (ELSHAM), Jayapura
;Dr John Ondawame:international spokesperson for the Free Papua Movement (OPM) and Asia-Pacific representative of the Papua Presidium Council (PDP), Papuan in exile, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at Sydney University Australia -2002, West Papuan People's Representative Office Vanuatu 2003-2004.
;Moses Werror:chairman OPM Revolutionary Council
;Rex Rumakiek:representative of the Free Papua Movement, Melboune Australia.Postage stamps
See also
External links
Pacific Islands
Fiji | Kiribati | Marshall Islands | Federated States of Micronesia | Nauru | New Zealand | Palau | Papua New Guinea | Samoa | Solomon Islands | Tonga | Tuvalu | Vanuatu
Other political units
American Samoa | Cook Islands | Easter Island | French Polynesia | Guam | Hawaii | Papua (Indonesia) | Midway Atoll | New Caledonia | Niue | Norfolk Island | Northern Mariana Islands | Pitcairn Islands | Tokelau | Wake Island | Wallis and Futuna