A Short History of West Papua

Hi Reblog your article on West Papua history. Thank you

WEST PAPUA

Papua and West Papua Provinces of Indonesia (photo: shutterstock)

To understand the current political situation in Papua and West Papua provinces, it is necessary to examine recent history. What is now known as Indonesia was the most important Dutch colony until the end of World War II.

The struggle for independence was a difficult fight for freedom, and the Dutch were very reluctant to give up their jewel in Asia. After the Indonesians, led by President Sukarno, declared independence in 1945, the Dutch did not formally relinquish their sovereignty until the end of 1949 and only after great pressure on the world.

All the regions of Dutch East Indies became the Republic of Indonesia except the Dutch New Guinea or Irian Jaya (hereinafter referred to as West Papua). The Dutch were able to maintain some control over West Papua through some more deceptive tactics until the early 1960s. Please read

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Key events in west Papua’s past, leading up to integration with Indonesia.

1828

The western part of the island of New Guinea becomes part of the Dutch East Indies, and is named Netherlands or Dutch New Guinea.

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Various Types of Traditional Papuan Dances

Dancing is one of the most common expressions of culture. Thank you westpapua.online for sharing the article about traditional Papuan dancing.

WEST PAPUA

Tribratanews.polri.go.id – Papua has succeeded in attracting tourists with its natural beauty. Not only nature, Papua also has traditional arts and culture that can attract the attention of tourists, one of which is traditional dances. Monday (2/4/22).

Papuan traditional dances have unique characteristics. Because, this dance from the eastern part of Indonesia presents a number of meanings that are closely related to everyday life.

Various Types of Traditional Papuan Dances

  1. Suanggi Dance
Suanggi Dance (for complete story please visit The Enchanting Suanggi Dance)

This dance presents the story of a man who was abandoned by his wife. It is also narrated that his wife’s spirit wanders and disturbs those around him.

Finally, the man performed a ritual to appease the spirit of his wife. The ritual eventually developed into a Suanggi Dance.

  1. Awaijale Rilejale Dance
Awaijale Rilejale Dance (photo: Wikipedia)

This dance comes from the Jayapura Regency area…

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Police Hunt Down Shooter of COVID-19 Task Force Members in Papua

TEMPO.COJakarta – The government’s Nemangkawi Operation Task Unit is still hunting down the armed group that shot two members of the COVID-19 Task Force in Papua. One of the task force members was killed.

The Nemangkawi Operation Task Unit reported the incident occurred in Wandai district, Intan Jaya regency, Papua, Friday, May 22, 2020, at around 16:30 local time. Read more »

Saving Stealth (Siluman) West Papua Websites

I’ve been running this blog for more than ten years. Visitors to this blog is around 27 thousands. A small number but I think it’s okay for an independent blog about West Papua. I support West Papuan to live better life, but I disagree with provocative campaign by Free West Papua Campaign (FWPC) and the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). I have a very simple reason: “please think about ending the conflict by peaceful dialogue”. No more killing and terror by Free West Papua military wing and no more security operation that frightened the population in West Papua.

I found several inactive websites about West Papua such as Westpapuaupdate.com, Onwestpapua.com, Freewestpapua.co, Freewestpapua.co.nz, dan Westpapuaarchive.com. Those short-lived websites were accused as “siluman” and Indonesian word for stealth. Tirto.id who investigated the case clearly not in favour to the objective content of the websites, but highlighted the owner named Dr. Arya and writers who openly explained the background of why they create such websites.

Remember, three sides of every story. Tirto.id has its own view, the owner also has its story. How about the truth?

The truth for me is the amazing contents of stories from the websites. We can learn many aspects of West Papua that have been neglected by mainstream media and also by conflict provocateurs.

From today, I will copy and paste all stories from those stealth website and save it in my blog. If you know the owner personally, please let him know.

 

Suspected rebels in restive Papua attack 2 COVID-19 medical workers

Breaking News from Kyodo News

JAKARTA – Gunmen believed to be separatist rebels on Saturday attacked two medical workers fighting the new coronavirus pandemic in Indonesia’s restive province of Papua, killing one of them, police and military said.

Col. Eko Daryanto, spokesman for Papua’s Cendrawasih Military Regional Command, said the attack occurred around 1 p.m. when the workers, part of the province’s task force for COVID-19 mitigation, were transporting medicine for infected patients in a remote village in Intan Jaya Regency.

Security personnel evacuates a medical worker, who was critically injured after having been attacked by gunmen believed to be rebels of the separatist Free Papua Movement, from a remote village in Intan Jaya Regency easternmost, restive Papua Province on May 23, 2020.(Photo courtesy of the Papuan Police)(Kyodo)

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Shadow falls in the peaceful democratic election

Millions ordinary Papuan keep their mouth shut in silence and deeply concerned about growing violence created and supported by independence movement abroad especially from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. West Papua on the eve of the Indonesian parliamentary elections was disturbed by a successful scenario of conflict by Richard Samuelson and Benny Wenda to increase the tension among people in West Papua. We believe that recent events underscore the need for a careful approach to the problems in West Papua, and that there is an urgent need for Indonesian security (Police) to be alert by such cruel intention. Read more »

Free West Papua Campaign

A very interesting and shocking notes on Free West Papua Campaign by Free West Papua should be read by Papuan from all walk of life. Here is the lead paragraph:

I feel so sad when an activist of Free West Papua Campaign asked me to stop writing in my own blog because my position is in opposite to the Oxford based Free West Papua Campaign. I also feel sorry for Richard Samuelson attitude because he has been running away from my challenge to explain his position in Free West Papua Campaign. We as papuan are very pleased that there is sincere attention from foreign citizen like Samuelson. However, we should be sure that the attention will create a better understanding. In contrast to the people expectation, Richard Samuelson is always provoking conflict without even thinking about the consequences.

For the rest of the notes please read Free West Papua Campaign

Palapa Ring Project in East Indonesia

Another article from freewestpapua.co. Copyright owned by MACDIS

Palapa ring illustration copyright @https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/

The East Palapa Ring Package Project will reach 35 districts / cities spread across East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Papua and West Papua regions with a total length of fiber optic cable of approximately 8,454 km.

The government will spend Rp 2.7 trillion (US$207 million) on broadband infrastructure projects as part of its efforts to close the gap in internet access between rural and urban areas across Indonesia. The Palapa Ring projects aim to lay out 4,700 kilometers of undersea fibre-optic cable as the backbone for the nation’s telecommunications system. Read more »

Electrification for 1,123 villages in Papua, West Papua

Energy sufficiency – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visits the Mobile Power Plant (MPP) construction project in Jeranjang, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, in this file photo. (Tempo/Supriyanto Khafid)

Power will be supplied to these villages through hydropower plants, electric tubes, biomass power plants, and solar power plants

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) – State-owned electricity firm PLN hope to supply electricity to 1,123 villages in Papua and West Papua Provinces by the end of 2019, PLN General Manager for the Papua and West Papua regions Ari Dartomo said. Power will be supplied to these villages through hydropower plants, electric tubes, biomass power plants, and solar power plants, he told journalists in Jayapura, the capital city of Papua Province, Tuesday. Read more »