West Papua during the Reign of Moluccan Monarchies

Sultan Baabdullah – i1.wp.com

The western part of New Guinea better known as West Papua literally conceals countless out of the ordinary facts. From the unbelievable range of 4,000-meter peaks to the exceptional Melanesian cultures, the black gem from the east has never been tiresome to shine. Historically, West Papua has gone through an array of political upheavals. Under the European conquest, the world’s second largest island got its name. The occurrence came to pass when a Portuguese explorer named Jorge de Menezes accidentally found the green land mass in 1526-27. The word of Papua refers to “frizzled hair” representing the physical appearance of the inhabitants.

Before being occupied by the government of Dutch East Indies in 1824 and becoming the 26^th Indonesian province in 1969, West Papua was not only taken control by the victorious Majapahit kingdom (as stated in a holy Hindu book named Kakawin Nagarakartagama) but also the neighboring rulers often dubbed the Moluccan Monarchies. According to a historical research, there were three Moluccan kingdoms used to be actively involved in territorial expansion – Tidore, Bacan, and Ternate. Not only were the Muslim-based empires influential in establishing East Indonesia in the past but they were also revered by the European colonials from British to Dutch.

West Papua under the Authority of Tidore Kingdom

Sultan Baabdullah – i1.wp.com

Western New Guinea mainly in the area of bird head and Raja Ampat Islands was once ruled by Sultan Baabullah from the Sultanate of Tidore in the 16^th century from 1570 to 1583. The monarchy sitting on a small island of northern Maluku with the same name was one of the largest and most powerful Indonesian kingdoms. In a brief, the glorious monarchy was initially known as Limau Duko or Kie Duko which means “volcano” before Islam invaded the island. The naming is basically relevant to the local geographical condition loaded with towering volcanoes. Then the name of Tidore which means “I have arrived” was taken.

Apart from the dominion of Sultan Baabullah, West Papua, in accordance with another trusted source, was a developed region under the reign of Sultan Mansyur, the famed 12^th king of Tidore Sultanate. The territorial expansion to the eastern part of Indonesia specifically the Halmahera and West Papua carried out in the 16^th century was overly intense. According to the 36^th king of Tidore Sultanate named Sultan Zainal Abidin “Alting” Syah, the main sovereignty of Tidore Kingdom covers two large areas – Nyili Gam and Nyili Papua.

The evidence how the Kingdom of Tidore successfully administered West Papua is written based on the copies of historical records. One of the citations says, “Lantas kagee Jou Kolano wolahi Kapita-Kapita kagee toma Maba, Buli, Bicoli se Patani ona yomote una terus toma Gebe la supaya yohoda kiye mega yoru-ruru, yo bapo ino uwa, toma Gebe madulu se I ronga “Papua”.” These utterances mean “Then the king Mansyur made an expedition to the regions of Lolobata, Bicoli, Maba, Buli, and the island of Patani. Once arriving there, the king asked the captains to go for further exploration to Gebe Island and investigate other islands behind it, “Papua”.

When West Papua was Ruled by the Kingdom of Bacan

West papua – ytimg.com

The clear substantiation indicating that West Papua was under the control of the Kingdom of Bacan is the information avowed in the book of New Guinea authored by a Dutch author, WC. Klein. He stated that the leaders of Papua once paid a visit into the kingdom of Bacan in 1569. The Bacan sultanate was a potent kingdom situated on the island of Bacan, Maluku islands. It was early governed by a king converting to Islam called Raja Zainulabidin. There were a number of kingdoms in the islands of Raja Ampat which were under the administration of Bacan monarchy.

The kingdoms under Bacan sovereignty include Lilinta/Misool Kingdom. The dominant rulers who made a significant social improvement were Abd al-Majid, Jamal ad-Din, and Bahar ad-Din Dekamboe. Another Islamic empire occupying the islands of Raja Ampat was the Kingdom of Waigama. The golden period of Waigama was under the control of Abd ar-Rahman, Hasan, and Syams ad-Din Tafalas.

The Tie between West Papua and the Kingdom of Ternate

Kingdom of ternate – 2.bp.blogspot.com

The authentic proof that West Papua was once possessed by the Kingdom of Ternate is through the presence of four kingdoms in Raja Ampat Islands. They cover the Kingdom of Waigeo with the capital of Wewayai, the Kingdom of Salawati with the capital of Samate, the Kingdom of Sailolof, and the Kingdom of Misol. One of the prominent leaders whose power was unbeatable is King Gadzun governing the Waigeo from 1900 to 1918.

In closing, West Papua had been deeply related to the Indonesian monarchies in Maluku islands. From the Kingdom of Tidore to the Kingdom of Ternate, the western part of New Guinea was a central place to build economic and cultural relations in East Indonesia.

Source: https://onwestpapua.com/west-papua-reign-moluccan-monarchies/

Trikora Operation, the Giant Military Aimed to Free West Papua from the Dutch

Dutch colony – pinterest.com

In respect to the negotiations undertaken by Indonesia and Dutch in 1945-1949, West Papua (then West Irian Jaya) should be handed to Indonesia as late as 1950. Even according to the principle of uti possidetis juris, West Papua should automatically become a region under Indonesian administration. However, the Dutch did not act according to the principle or negotiation which had taken place.

Even after the Dutch-Indonesia Round Table Conference in 1949, in which the Kingdom of Netherland (Dutch) agreed with the independence of Indonesia, they still retained sovereignty over West Papua. The promise of declaring West Papua as a part of Indonesia at least a year after the Round Table Conference never became a reality.

Indonesia’s government saw that the Dutch had no intention to keep the agreement they made in the Round Table Conference. In response, Indonesia withdrew from the Netherland-Indonesia Union. This also marked the moment when the young nation realized that the diplomacy did not work effectively, therefore: they continued the fight to annex West Papua through military force.

People’s Triple Command

Trikora – wordpress.com

Since the negotiation with the Kingdom of Netherland about West Papua did not show any positive sign, Indonesia decided to use the military to invade their administration in the region. On December 19, 1961, Sukarno as the president of Indonesia at the time declared Trikora, an abbreviation for Tri Komando Rakyat (People’s Triple Command), in Yogyakarta.

The content of Trikora, as the name suggests, consisted of three commands. Firstly, Trikora aimed to prevent the Dutch from forming a puppet State of West Papua. This command was a response to the Dutch’s effort to establish a puppet country in West Papua instead of handing the administration to Indonesia.

Secondly, Trikora asked people to fly the red and white flag (Indonesia’s national flag) in West Papua. It was a symbolic action to show that West Papua was under Indonesia’s sovereignty. Thirdly, Trikora commanded people to get ready for mass mobilization as an attempt to defend Indonesia’s independence and unity.

To implement these commands, President Sukarno formed the Mandala Command. Led by Commander Soeharto (who later became the next president of the country), Mandala Command was in charge of strategic planning, preparation, and implementation of the military operation in West Papua.

Giant Military Operation in West Papua

Papua – ibiblio.org

During Trikora, Indonesia had a good bilateral relation with Uni Soviet, which made the country got the support from the then one of the greatest nations in the world. The diplomacy behind this cooperation was undertaken in December 1960 when General A. H. Nasution visited Moscow to buy military logistics. The diplomacy went well and Indonesia could get ammunition worth of US$ 2.5 billion—paid in a long term.

Using the war logistics from Uni Soviet, Indonesia got massive advanced naval and air forces, including the largest warship with giant cannons called KRI Irian. In term of size and strength, KRI Irian was proportional to the United States’ best warships such as USS Wisconsin, USS Missouri, and USS Iowa. With such power, Indonesia was considered as the strongest military in the southern hemisphere at the time.

Indonesian military also prepared for airports which were ruined by the war—many of them were located on the border of Maluku and West Papua. In 1961, at least 14 military airports near the border were ready for mass mobilization against the Dutch troops in West Papua. However, the attack did not take place right away since the strategies used by Indonesia’s military forces were divided into three stages as explained below.

1. Infiltration—in which more than 10 companies of the military forces infiltrated the strategic area in West Papua and built strong military bases with the help of West Papuans. Within eight months in 1962, Indonesia had successfully insert 562 soldiers by sea and 1154 by air drops to West Papua.
2. Exploitation—was an open attack on the Dutch military bases which had been infiltrated beforehand so that the area had not only Indonesian troops but also military logistics. The biggest attack was called Jayawijaya Operation—it was the biggest amphibious operation in the history of Indonesian Navy. The operation involved 100 warships and 16,000 marines.
3. Consolidation—was the process to enforce Indonesian law in West Papua to show that the region had officially become part of the country.

The giant military operation had made the Dutch recognized Indonesians’ determination to annex West Papua. The Dutch was also pressurized by the U.S. which advised for peaceful conflict resolution instead of continuing military fight against Indonesia. As a response, the Dutch was willing to sign the New York Agreement on August 15, 1962, so that the Jayawijaya Operation was called off.

The New York Agreement was an important point in changing the status of West Papua from the Dutch’s colony to be a part of Indonesia. The whole Trikora Operation had played a big role in making it happen since after the agreement, the West Papuans decided to join Indonesia.

Source: https://onwestpapua.com/trikora-operation-giant-military-aimed-free-west-papua-dutch/

Martha Christina Tiahahu, Indonesia’s Melanesian Heroine

Martha – intim.news

Close your eyes for few seconds and imagine this scene: a 17-year-old girl joined her father and male troops in a guerilla war, she even threw rocks to enemy when their ammunition ran out. That fierce girl was Martha Christina Tiahahu. Born on 4 January 1800 in Nusalaut Island, near Maluku, Martha was raised by her father after her mother died while she was an infant. Her father was Captain Paulus Tiahahu; and little Martha followed her father everywhere, including to meetings for planning an attack.

Martha – intim.news

Martha has been described as a stubborn girl, strong-willed, and very brave. While her physical appearance portrayed the characteristic of Melanesians: rather dark skin and wavy hair. Melanesian refers to the native inhabitants of Melanesia region. Indonesia has always been a large home for Melanesians; they live in Papua, West Papua, Maluku, South Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, and other small islands nearby.

Following her father steps, Martha was active in military matters from a young age. In the midst of ferocious battles, Martha would scream to burn spirit of the troops. Her brave act inspired other women in the society to support men on the battlefield, and even participated in combats. For the first time in that battlefield, the Dutch must face women served in the military.

Beginning in 1817, Martha joined the war against Dutch colonial government led by Pattimura—another Melanesian in Indonesia with significant roles and contribution in the history of the colonial era. Together with Pattimura’s army, Martha fought in several battles. One of that battle is at Saparua Island, where the troops successfully killed Dutch Commander Richement. In another battle, Martha and her troops burned down Duurstede Fortress.

Unfortunately in the same year, 1817, Martha was arrested by the Dutch military; along with her father, Pattimura and many of their comrades. That was after Vermeulen Kringer took over the Dutch military in Maluku. Late 1817, Pattimura was sentenced to death and hanged in Ambon. While Paulus Tiahahu, Martha’s father, was executed on Nusalaut. But because of her young age, Martha herself was released and sent home.

The experience of being arrested by the Dutch military didn’t stop Martha from fighting. She continued to fight, but got rearrested in short time. This time, she was condemned to slave labour on the coffee plantations of Java. Together with other arrested rebels, Martha was placed on the Evertsen ship to be transported to Java. On their way, Martha felt ill; but she refused any medication and food. Martha Christina Tiahahu then died on 2 January 1818 while the ship was crossing the Banda Sea. That same day, she was given a burial at sea.

After the Independence of Indonesia, Martha Christina Tiahahu was declared as a National Heroine. To honored her, people in Maluku spread flower petals over the Banda Sea in an official ceremony every year. Annually, the date 2 January was designated as Martha Christina Tiahahu Day.

An 8-meters tall statue of Martha Christina Tiahahu holding a spear is now standing in Ambon, the capital city of Maluku. It stands in Karangpanjang overlooking the Banda Sea, and was built in 1977. Another monument of Martha also stands in Abubu—with a spear on her hand while leading an army, this statue was dedicated on the 190th anniversary of her death.

The commemoration of Martha also implied in several items named after her. There is Martha Christina Tiahahu street in Karangpanjang, Ambon; and a warship called the KRI Martha Christina Tiahahu. A social organization for Mollucans in Jakarta have also taken Tiahahu’s name as a symbol of bravery and struggling spirit.

As well as Martha Christina Tiahahu and Pattimura, there were other Indonesia’s Melanesians that play an important role in this country. To mention few of them,

• Johannes Latuharhary:

Johannes Latuharhary – tirto.id

Graduated in 1927 from Leiden University, the oldest university in the Netherlands; Returned to Indonesia, worked in the judiciary in East Java and Batavia; He was active in nationalist politics in Java, was a member of the Malang Municipal Council, Sarekat Ambon, PPPKI, and Parindra. He was appointed as Vice-Resident of Maluku during the Japanese colonial era, and went on to become governor of Maluku after independence.

• Frans Seda:

Frans Seda – 2.bp.blogspot.com

One of the most well-known figures from the eastern province of Nusa Tenggara Timur. He was a Plantation Minister from 1964 – 1966, Agriculture Minister in 1966, Finance Minister from 1966 -1968, and Transportation Minister from 1968 -1973. In 1999 he was appointed an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia, for service to the development of trade links between Australia and Indonesia.

• Frans Kaisiepo:

Frans Kaisiepo – pahlawancenter.com

He was the historical figure chosen to be depicted in the latest-2016-edition of Rp10.000 banknote. Frans Kaisiepo involved in a rebellion that broke out in Biak protesting against the Dutch government in March 1948. In 1949, Frans rejected the appointment as the delegate leader of Netherlands New Guinea in the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference—because he didn’t want to be dictated by the Dutch government. As a result, Frans was arrested from 1954 to 1961. In 1964, he served as the Governor of Irian and continuously promote Papua as a part of Indonesia.

Source: https://onwestpapua.com/martha-christina-tiahahu-indonesias-melanesian-heroine/

Tension concerning Seizure of West Papua after the Round Table Conference

Round table conference – 2.bp.blogspot.com

The Indonesian-Dutch round table conference held in The Hague, the Netherlands is in point of fact, the follow-up of preceding indecisive negotiations from Linggarjati, Roem-van Roijen to Renville agreement. The international assembly going on from August, 23^rd to November 2^nd had a primary purpose in regard to transferring the sovereignty from the Dutch to the United States of Indonesia. The Indonesian delegate was led by Drs. Moh. Hatta; Sultan Hamid II represented the BFO (Bijeenkomst Voor Federal Overleg); the UNCI was under Chritchley, and the Dutch delegate was embodied by Mr. Van Maarseveen.

The conference finally ended up with the treaties that include a couple of regards. The first point is that the Netherlands should recognize the United States of Indonesia as a sovereign state. The sovereignty transfer ought to be carried out no later than December 30^th, 1949. The following thing is to pull back the Dutch troops and converted the Dutch East Indies to the Indonesian national army, and the same is true with the Dutch warships. Then, the diplomatic relation between the United States of Indonesia and the Dutch kingdom is led by the king of Netherlands. And the last concern on the subject of Western New Guinea is the renegotiation after the one-year-old transfer.

However, the contents of round table agreement are not relevant to Indonesia’s urge to create an independent country without the label of Dutch Commonwealth. Instead of reaching great deal gainful for Indonesia, the pact is filled with betrayal from the Dutch side creating tension inevitably affecting the diplomatic tie between two countries. These following facts are indeed not acceptable for Indonesia:

The Dutch doesn’t Recognize West Papua as the Part of Indonesia

Round table conferance – ytimg.com

Although the Netherlands is willing to displace its territory to the United States of Indonesia during the round table conference, in fact, it refuses to include Western New Guinea into the archipelago. The key reason why the Dutch persists in their decision is the claim that the western side of New Guinea is inhabited by Melanesian people who differ from the rest of archipelago. The West Papua status remaining unsolved brings about the criticism. The world condemns the Dutch act as it would be a new strategy for the colonial to take over West Papua. Additionally, the refusal allows the Indonesian delegations to feel displeasure and even indignation.

The United States of Indonesia Should Pay the Debts Inherited by the Dutch

Round table conference – 2.bp.blogspot.com

Incurring the debt inherited by the Dutch East Indies colonial after surrendering from the Japanese invaders in 1942 is another disadvantage which Indonesia must undergo. The Dutch initially compels the archipelago to fork out the expense of Dutch military action. This one also puts the Indonesian representatives during the round table agreement on tension and anger. Fortunately, the United States of Indonesia only pays for the sovereignty transfer after one of the members of United Nations commission involves in settling the financial dispute. Beyond any doubt, the Indonesian party agrees to pay off the debt of the government of Dutch East Indies that spends around 4.3 billion Guilders.

The Result of the Round Table Conference is the Form of New Colonialism

Round table conference – i0.wp.com

The round table conference actually results in a fresh shape called new colonialism. Why this one could happen as the primary points in the agreement designate that the creation of the United States of Indonesia is eventually propitious to the Netherlands. Yes, it seems that the occupation and imperialism are over, but the federal formation is an advanced step for the Dutch to take over the administration in Indonesia. This type of system is absolutely prone to the issues of disunity. The societies would easily be affected by the social issues dividing the people based on the economic stratification. In addition to that, the Dutch kingdom is within easy reach to exploit the natural resources.

The sovereignty transfer stated in the official document of round table conference is in fact, contradictory to the revolutionary principle of August 17^th, 1945. As a sovereign nation, the independence value should highly be respected. The concept of federal formation ruins the form of a republic that has a close relation with the basic outline of democracy. Despite being considered as a country, the United States of Indonesia is just another imperialism of which control is under the government of Netherlands. The further implication once the new colonialism is run across the nation, the political chaos and cabinet failure seem unavoidable. The separatism issues like Islamic states (DI/TII) and Republic of South Maluku are also the long-term impact.

To sum up, the round table conference does not end up with something great for Indonesia. The result of negotiation makes the archipelago unable to free West Papua from the Dutch authority, pay off the debts, and go through the new form of colonialism.

Source: https://onwestpapua.com/tension-concerning-seizure-west-papua-round-table-conference/

 

The History of Papua’s Name Changes

Papua – 4.bp.blogspot.com

West Papua is known as the easternmost island and province of Indonesia, but that name did not exist from the start. Papua has experienced name changes many times. The history of name changes is not only interesting, but also revealing various intriguing aspects in Papua’s relation with Indonesia.

The Early Centuries

Papua – tabloiddjubi.com

The first known mention of Papua is by Greek geographer, astronomer, mathematician, and cartographer from the 2^nd century, Claudius Ptolemy. He mentioned an island called “Labadios”, which was what we now call Papua. The more detailed history came from Chinese explorations in around 6^th century. A trader called Gao Yu Kuan wrote in his journal that he got spices from an island called Tungki.

Another Chinese trader, Chun Tjok Kwan, visited Maluku and Papua in the 7^th century. When Tjok Kwan made another stop in Sumatra’s Sriwijaya Kingdom, the people mispronounced the name “Tungki” into “Janggi”. The name stuck, and the Sriwijaya Kingdom continued referring to the land of Papua as Janggi. The Sriwijaya Kingdom even once presented Chinese emperor with birds of paradise, which were also called Janggi.

The mysterious nature of jungle-covered Papua also attracted Persian and Indian traders. They started sailing to Eastern Indonesia in the 7^th century. The Sanskrit-speaking traders referred to the island as Samudranta, “at the edge of the ocean”.

The Majapahit and Tidore Eras

Majapahit – nusantara.news

Majapahit and Tidore became the next large kingdoms with relations to Papua. During the golden eras of East Java-based Majapahit Kingdom, the “Sram” people frequently brought “Wanin” slaves from Papua to serve in the kingdom. “Sram” referred to Seram Island in Maluku, while “Wanin” was Onin Peninsula in Fakfak, the latter now known as one of the regencies in West Papua Province.

There were also mentions of Papua in Negarakertagama, an Old Javanese poem from the 14^th century by Mpu Prapanca, which was written as a eulogy for the Majapahit king, Hayam Wuruk. The poem referred to Papua as Onin, and there was also mention of Sran/Sram. However, this poem should not be regarded as an actual historical text.

Tidore was the closest kingdom that ever related to Papua. Based in Maluku Island, this Islamic kingdom first sent a fleet of kora-kora (traditional ships) to Papua at the beginning of 16^th century. Led by Sultan Ibnu Mansyur, this expedition ended with the addition of several Papua areas and islands to Tidore’s map. During the Tidore era, the name “Papa-Ua” began to come up. The name meant “not integrated” or “not having a king”, while in Malayan, it could also mean “having curly hair”.

European Exploration and Colonialization Era

Papua – 4.bp.blogspot.com

The first recorded mention of Papua by European visitor was by Antonio d’ Arbau, a Portuguese sailor and explorer who came to the land in 1511. He called it “Ilha de Papo” and “Os Papuas”, following the name was given by the Tidore Kingdom. Other European explorers that used the name Papua were Jorge de Menetes from Spain and Antonio Figafetta, the scribe of Magelhaens.

Alvaro de Savedra, a Spanish explorer and fleet commander who came to Papua in 1528, started using the name “Isla de Oro” when referring to the island, which meant “Island of Gold”. This name enticed more European sailors to come for the gold promise. Another Spanish explorer, Inigo Ortiz de Retes, came to Papua in 1545 and started using the name “Nueva Guinee” (New Guinea). He used the name because the locals looked like the natives in African Guinea.

The name Papua and New Guinea stuck for another two centuries; Papua was more famous among locals in Nusantara (pre-Independence Indonesia), while New Guinea was more popular in Europe. New Guinea and its variation appeared on various world maps.

Irian, and Papua Again

Papua – pinterest.com

During the 1940s, not long before Indonesia’s declaration of independence, several members of local tribal councils such as Corinus Krey, Frans Kasiepo, and Yan Waromi gathered in Jayapura to discuss the new name for Papua, which must reflect local culture and wisdom. Frans Kasiepo had an idea to call the land “Irian”, which came from Biak words that meant “land” and “hot”. However, in other languages such as Merauke and Ifor, “Irian” could mean “high/elevated land”.

Frans Kasiepo announced the name Irian at Malino-Ujung Pandang conference on 16 July 2946, almost one year after the declaration of independence on 17 August 1945. However, amidst the international pressure and support for Indonesia’s full independence, the Dutch created a puppet country in Papua on 1 December 1961. Despite that, Indonesia managed to reclaim Papua through diplomatic and military missions, and the island was back to the country on 1 December 1963.

Finally, the Act of Final Choice (Pepera) in 1969 saw the official return of Papua to Indonesia. President Soeharto officiated the name “Irian Jaya” for the new province in 1973. The name stuck until reformation era and the downfall of Soeharto, when people demanded that the name Irian changed back to “Papua”. On 1 January 2000, President Abdurrahman Wahid officially changed Irian Jaya to Papua, just like the name given by the Tidore Kingdom.

Source: https://onwestpapua.com/history-papuas-name-changes/