The Political Status of West Papua (Part 6)

Since the conclusion of the Round Table Conference, Indonesia had sought to find ways for a peaceful settlement to the question of West Papua in line with Article 2 of the Charter of Transfer of Sovereignty:

• a. In April 1950, an Indonesian-Netherlands Ministers' Conference on financial matters in Jakarta dis some preliminary work on the question of West Papua. Also a Commission comprising of Netherlands and Indonesian representatives was established to visit and make an investigation on West Papua. The Conference decided that negotiations on this question should continue, on the basis of the report of the Commission, at the Second Conference of Ministers of the Netherlands - Indonesia Union, at the Hague during 1050.
• b. In December 1950, the Second Conference of Ministers of the Union was held at the Hague. During the course of these negotiations, the parties decided to stipulate a period of one year from 27 December 1950, the date of the conclusion of the Round Table Conference Agreement. At that Conference, the Indonesian delegation submitted a note containing the following main point upon which to base the resolution of this dispute: 

" That de jure sovereignty over West Papua of the Republic of Indonesia be recognized by the Dutch without delay, and that the transfer of the Netherlands Administration could be implemented through mutual arrangements by the middle of 1951"

In an effort to arrive ata compromise solution, the Indonesian delegation, aside from guaranteeing human rights and religious freedoms, also agreed to provide autonomy for the territory. It also recognized the present and future interests of the Dutch in West Papua, including the guarantee to employ Dutch officials in the administration and its nationals in the immigration department. On the other hand, in a significant departure from its past commitments, the counter proposals of the Dutch included the transfer of sovereignty over West Papua to the Netherlands - Indonesian Union and to retain in the Netherlands the administration of the Territory, with Indonesian members participating on a parity basis in a West Papua Council. These were totally unacceptable to Indonesia as it would perpetuate colonial domination and practices. The West Papua dispute thus failed to be settled.

• c. In December 1951, a third Indonesia - Netherlands Conference was held. At this time the Netherlands proposed that the dispute be submitted to the International Court of Justice which Indonesia rejected arguing that the issue in question was a political and not of a judicial nature. Indonesia made sincere efforts to break the "impasse" but the negotiations had to be suspended due to a change of Government in Jakarta.
• d. The Government of Indonesia had made this issue a priority to be resolved in a peaceful manner but the Dutch Government showed a reluctance to negotiate a final solution while remaining the colonial ruler. Throughout the dispute, Indonesia has challenged the sovereignty of the Netherlands over West Papua. The exercise of such sovereignty was unacceptable as it contravened the Charter of Transfer of Sovereignty to "unconditionally" transfer "complete sovereignty over Indonesia to the new Indonesian Republic".

Continue to part 7