Questioning the Unquestionable: An Overview of the Restoration of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia
to the United Nations
New York
2003

Preface

Papua, the easternmost province in Indonesia, has its unique place in multiethnic and multicultural Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago. It has also had a turbulent history within the early history of independent Indonesia.

“Questioning the Unquestionable: An Overview of the Restoration of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia” has been chosen as the title of this publication out of the conviction that a fair, comprehensive and objective assessment of the issues does put to rest attempts to distort the true history or to disrupt its territorial integrity and development of Indonesia. Such schemes achieve nothing but perpetuate the suffering of the Papuans and deny them the full enjoyment of their right to develop as Indonesians.


This publication offers that detached overview of the important points of the history of Papua’s journey into its final and irrevocable place as an integral part of Indonesia, and I invite you to share that with the help of the United Nations, this issue was finally and fully resolved in 1969.

From this publication, you will also find important historical information showing the Papua province has been a part of Indonesia when the Netherlands administered the territory; and even during the Kingdom of Majapahit and Sultanate Tidore.

On the other hand, however, Papua province lagged behind other parts of Indonesia not only during the administration of the Netherlands, but also after Indonesia gained its independence. It faces complex social, economic and cultural problems. Despite these measures, it is a serious error of judgment to convert all of those complex problems into the basis for questioning the legality of Papua within Indonesia.

Aware of the many complex social, economic and cultural problems in Papua, the Government of Indonesia decided to give the Province autonomy in 1969. That status was further elevated to wide ranging Special Autonomy in 2001 as a part of the reform process going on in the country.

By the publication of this book, I sincerely hope that you will obtain a comprehensive understanding of the long journey of Indonesia before the restoration of Papua, and avoid the temptation and fantasy of offering visions of independence to the people of Papua. A far more noble cause is to help Indonesian Papuans and Government to develop the province so as to enable the people enjoy a more fulfilling life in all its aspects together with other Indonesians.

New York, Summer 2003
sgnd
Ambassador Mochamad S. Hidayat
Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations

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