Jayapura, Jubi – Beginning in 1947, Dutch colonial authorities intensified efforts to suppress support for the Indonesian republican movement among civil servants, including both Indigenous Papuans and migrants from other parts of the archipelago.
Officials suspected of sympathising with the Republic of Indonesia were either imprisoned or pressured to abandon their political views. At the same time, the Dutch encouraged some Papuan leaders to pursue independence outside the framework of the Indonesian Republic.
Among those arrested during this period were prominent figures Martin Indey, Hemanus Rumere, and several associates from Biak, who were detained and imprisoned in Hollandia. Corinus Krey was exiled to Digul.
In 1949, the Round Table Conference concluded with the Netherlands recognising the independence of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia (RIS), of which the Republic of Indonesia became one constituent state. West Papua, however, remained under Dutch administration under an agreement that its political future would be negotiated within a year.
Following the transfer of sovereignty, many civil service positions previously held by officials from other parts of Indonesia who were considered sympathetic to the Indonesian Republic were filled by Eurasians who had fled Java. They occupied a large number of middle- and lower-level administrative posts, a development that significantly limited opportunities for the social and professional advancement of Indigenous Papuans.
In 1947, the Kainkain Karkara Biak, a Papuan advisory council, was established in Biak through elections. However, it later became a body whose primary role was to advise the local district officer on matters relating to customary law. Plans were also made in 1950 to establish municipal councils in several major towns, but disagreements over their powers and membership delayed their implementation for years.
Meanwhile, the Dutch authorities succeeded in winning the support of several conservative Papuan leaders, including Markus Kaisiepo, Abdullah Arfan, and Johan Ariks, as well as some left-leaning figures such as Nicolaas Jouwe. Other Papuan leaders – mostly aligned with the political left – who refused to change their position were accused of subversive activities, and many were imprisoned.
The conservative Papuan leaders subsequently established the Nieuw Guinea Unity Movement (Gerakan Persatuan Nieuw Guinea, GPNG) in several towns across the territory. The movement's platform centred on rejecting Indonesia's claim to West New Guinea and supporting continued Dutch administration.
Between 1950 and 1953, the Netherlands and Indonesia attempted to resolve the dispute through bilateral negotiations. However, tensions escalated after Indonesia's federal system collapsed at the end of 1950 and was replaced by a unitary republic, reducing Dutch influence over Indonesian affairs.
The Netherlands argued that the provisions concerning West Papua in the Round Table Conference Agreement were no longer applicable following the constitutional change and refused to implement them. The negotiations ultimately failed, hardening the positions of both governments.
On 15 February 1952, the Dutch Parliament voted to incorporate West Papua into the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Following the decision, the Dutch government refused to reopen discussions on sovereignty, considering the matter settled.
In response, President Sukarno adopted a more confrontational stance toward the Netherlands. He initially sought – unsuccessfully – to persuade the Indonesian government to formally repudiate the Round Table Conference Agreement and impose economic sanctions on the Dutch, but the proposal was rejected by the Natsir Cabinet.
Undeterred, Sukarno made the recovery of West Irian the central objective of his presidency and launched a nationwide campaign to rally Indonesian public support through a series of speeches delivered between 1951 and 1952.
In West Papua, although the activities of groups affiliated with the Indonesian Independence Preparatory Committee (PKII) and the Indonesian Irian People's Movement (KIM) declined significantly after many of their leaders were arrested under Dutch anti-subversion laws, several successor organisations remained active and continued to advocate for integration with Indonesia.
In 1951, a group of Papuans from western New Guinea established the Indonesian Islamic Party in Hollandia. The party strongly opposed Dutch colonial rule, prompting the authorities to arrest its members, who were subsequently sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment.
Another wave of arrests took place on 3 February 1952, targeting a group led by Simon Jentara that advocated the integration of West Papua into Indonesia.
Earlier, on 2 May 1950, the court of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia (RIS) ordered the release of Raja Sekar, Machmud Singgirei Rumagesan. He later founded the West Irian Revolutionary Bird of Paradise Movement (Gerakan Tjendrawasih Revolusioner Irian Barat, GTRIB) in 1953.
That same year, two uprisings against the Dutch colonial administration broke out in Papua. One occurred in the area surrounding Rumagesan's traditional kingdom and was led by Abutalib bin Paris of Kokas, while another erupted in Waris District on 10 October 1953.
By 1953, the dispute over West Papua had become a defining issue in Indonesian domestic politics. Political parties from across the ideological spectrum – particularly the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) – backed President Sukarno's campaign to incorporate West Irian into Indonesia.
According to historians Audrey Kahin and George McTurnan Kahin, the PKI's support for integration helped the party rebuild its political base while strengthening its image as a nationalist communist party aligned with Sukarno.
Also in 1953, during a visit by a delegation from the Dutch Parliament, petitions were submitted by leaders of the Nieuw Guinea Unity Movement (GPNG) in Hollandia, Biak, and Manokwari.
In addition to expressing their loyalty to the Dutch administration, the petitions called for improved access to education. They also highlighted growing local dissatisfaction over land disputes involving Eurasian settlers who had been resettled in Papua by the Dutch authorities.
In 1952, the Christelijk Werknemers Verbond Nieuw-Guinea – Perserikatan Sekerdja Kristen di Nieuw-Guinea (CWNG-Persekding), a Protestant labour organisation, was established. Initially, its primary concerns centred on the salaries of Dutch civil servants and the welfare of Eurasian contract workers.
Over time, the organisation expanded its focus to address the welfare of Indigenous Papuans and became increasingly active in education. Women's groups affiliated with the organisation were also established, campaigning primarily for modern labour legislation.
Membership – particularly among Papuans – grew rapidly after 1957, exceeding 3,000 members by 1960.
Many Papuan members later joined the Papuan National Party (Parna), which advocated Papuan independence. Over time, however, several prominent figures within Parna, including E.J. Bonay and Frits Kirihio, began promoting cooperation with Indonesia. Under the leadership of Herman Wayoi, Parna subsequently became affiliated with the Indonesian National Party (PNI).
This shift was opposed by Kena U Embay, a movement established later, which argued that Parna was primarily seeking positions within the colonial bureaucracy. The group criticised Kirihio as the "Hitler of Papua" and instead advocated continued alignment with the Netherlands.
– NB: 10 dubplate paragraphs between "who were subsequently sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment..." and "Another wave of arrests took place on 3 February 1952" were deleted.
Source: https://en.jubi.id/west-papua-dispute-indonesias-irredentist-claim