The Struggle to be Heard: A Conflict Analysis of West Papua (original) (raw)
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The Linkage Between Human Security and West Papua’s Struggle for Independence
2021
For more than fifty years, West Papua, the western half of the island of New Guinea, has been in constant unrest. The West Papuans are part of the Melanesian race; they are composed of numerous clans that have diverse cultures and 200 languages (Brundige et. al, 2004). Unfortunately, the people of Indonesia’s easternmost provinces have many grievances that remain unaddressed, with the state responding violently and using excessive military force. Indonesians and Papuans do have something in common, both groups were former colonies of the Dutch; however, unlike the majority of Indonesians, Papuans are mostly Christians. The difference in religious beliefs aggravates the Indonesians’ contempt of the Papuans, but the root cause of the conflict is not because of contradicting religions (Gietzelt, 1989). It can actually be traced through reviewing West Papua’s history, the conflict originated from how the Papuan territories were acquired by Indonesia. Indonesia obtained West New Guinea through the 1962 New York Agreement which gave way to the transfer of the land from the Netherlands to the United Nations in the same year, and a handover to Indonesia in May 1963. Although a condition of the New York Agreement was that West New Guinea would eventually be given a choice on whether it would remain with Indonesia or choose to be an independent nation. Indonesia was forced to hold the Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat (“Act of Free Choice”) in 1969 despite initially canceling it just to abide by the international treaty, but it was not held through referendum. Deliberation leading to consensus was the mechanism used; only one percent of the population were able to vote for the merging of the territory with Indonesia, and the government defended this with the reason that Papuans were too primitive to vote (Webster, 2002). During the decades-long administration of Indonesia of West New Guinea, the state not only deprived the Papuans of their right to self-determination but also of their political, economic, civil, social, and cultural rights. Their land and resources were expropriated; indigenous communities were forced to relocate; the people were discriminated against; and they were also subjected to physical and sexual abuses (Webb-Gannon, 2014). In 2001, a Special Autonomy Law was enacted which aimed to address West Papua’s concerns through providing a certain degree of self-government, recognizing customary land rights, establishing mechanisms for protecting human rights, and implementing economic measures that can accelerate development. However, the Special Autonomy Law was implemented poorly and failed to address the problems of Papuans (Blades, 2020). As of 2021, the Papuans still continue to fight for independence. The researcher argues that the West Papuans were deprived of their right to self-determination and that they have been subjected to state neglect and abuse; the people of West New Guinea must be given a genuine opportunity to decide on their political status and freely pursue development. This conflict analysis paper will answer the question, “why are Papuans striving for independence?” through a human security framework. This first part provides some background information on the conflict. The succeeding parts of the paper will discuss the actors and stakeholders involved, and the conditions that exacerbate the issue. This paper will wrap up with some concluding thoughts of the researcher and a proposal on how to provide aid to West New Guinea.
Managing Conflicts in a Globalizing ASEAN: Incompatibility Management Through Good Governance, 2020
The Republic of Indonesia has administered West Papua since 1963, following a United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) agreement of 1962. Six years later, the Indonesian government held the controversial “Act of Free Choice” that led to the territory’s official integration into the Republic of Indonesia. While West Papuan nationalists argue that the “Act of Free Choice” was a fraudulent process undertaken with the tacit agreement of the international community that denied them the right to self-determination, successive Indonesian governments have considered the Act binding and legal and rejected any possibility of West Papuan self-determination. The chapter begins with an overview of West Papua’s integration into the Dutch East Indies and early Dutch policy in relation to the territory. This is followed by a discussion on the conflict between Indonesia and the Netherlands over the future and status of West Papua. The chapter then turns to West Papua’s integration into the Republic of Indonesia, which represents the first major incompatibility in the conflict. The remaining parts of the chapter focus on the post integration period and examines how successive Indonesian governments have attempted to manage the conflict, and various West Papuan initiatives, up to the present day
2011
This chapter is based on my study on West Papua of 2005, which has been published in English under the title: An Act of Free Choice. Decolonization and the Right to Self-Determination in West Papua (Oneworld Oxford 2009; see www.oneworld-publications.com). An Indonesian translation appeared under the title Tindakan Pilihan Bebas. Orang Papua dan
Get up, stand up: West Papua stands up for its rights
2010
This report addresses the momentous events that have transpired in West Papua and its diaspora in recent months. A response to the recent International Crisis Group (ICG) report entitled Radicalisation and Dialogue in Papua1 is also necessary as it is being used as justification by the Indonesian government in two serious initiatives currently underway: the prosecution of activist leader Victor Yeimo on charges of 'rebellion' and the unfolding TNI military operations in the highlands of West Papua. One initiative may unjustly deprive a man of his liberty; the other will almost certainly cost the lives and livelihoods of innocent Papuan civilians. The ICG report is biased, poorly conceived and researched. Its conclusions are therefore questionable even while the consequences of those conclusions are potentially so dire. A rebuttal is essential.