West Papua is one of the eastern provinces in Indonesia that had been through a long history before it officially became part of Indonesia. This journey began when Indonesia and the Netherlands held KMB or Round Table Conference on December 27, 1949.
At this conference, the Netherlands agreed to give sovereignty to Indonesia. However, both countries were still in dispute over Netherlands’ decision not to give Irian Jaya to Indonesia. In the end, the United Nations forum had to intervene to solve this conflict.
Not only through the United Nations forum, but it also takes struggles from these heroes to make this province become part of Indonesia. Here are four famous West Papua national heroes that you need to know:
Frans Kaisiepo
Frans Kaisepo was born on October 10 1921 in Wardo, Biak, Papua. He actively fought for the integration between West Papua and Indonesia by participating in the Malino conference that discussed the formation of NKRI in South Sulawesi. At this conference, he was the person who gave the idea to replace the name “Papua ” with “Irian ”, which means the hot place in Biak.
He was also the one who refused the idea of the establishment of the State of East Indonesia or Negara Indonesia Timur. This action made Frans Kaisiepo a notable hero in fighting Netherland’s authority in Indonesia.
After that, Frans Kaisiepo served himself as Governor of Papua between 1964-1973. He passed away on April 10, 1979, and was awarded as an Indonesian National Hero in 1993 by Indonesia’s government.
Silas Papare
Silas Papare was born on December 18, 1918, in Serui, Papua has been considered the most notable person since his involvement in fighting Irian Jaya to unify with Indonesia. He was also involved in fights against the Netherlands in Jayapura that got him imprisoned.
Not only through fights, but he also fought through Badan Perjuangan Irian, which he established in October 1949 to help Indonesia’s government take over Papua from the Netherlands’s authority. On August 15, 1962, President Soekarno gave him a duty to become Indonesia’s representative in the New York Agreement, which ended the conflict about the seizure of West Papua between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
After that, he was appointed as a member of MPRS or Temporary People’s Consultative Assembly. On September 14, 1993, the government of Indonesia gave him the title Indonesia National Hero.
Johannes Abraham Dimara
Johannes Abraham Dimara, who was born on April 16, 1916, in Korem, North Biak, Papua, has been actively involved in the fight for Indonesian Independence. One of his fights was taking part in Indonesia’s National Flag raising ceremony in Namlea, Buru Island, Maluku. He was also involved in fighting to reclaim Irian Jaya as part of Indonesia.
In 1950, Johannes was appointed as chairman of the West Papua Freedom Organization (OPI) and became a member of the Indonesian military or TNI. In 1954, he was involved in the action to infiltrate the Netherlands, which made him imprisoned until 1960 in Digul.
He also proclaimed the Trikora Operation in Yogyakarta and raised support from the West Irian people to fight to take over West Irian from the Netherland’s authority. In 1962, Johannes also got an appointment to become Indonesia’s representative with the Foreign Ministry of Indonesia in the New York Agreement.
He died in Jakarta on October 20, 2000. After he died, he got some awards from the government, including Satyalancana Perang Kemerdekaan Kesatu and A National Hero title.
Marthen Indey
Born on March 14, 1912, in Doromena, Marthen Indey has actively taken part in the Indonesian Independence’s struggles by involving in fights against the Netherlands in Irian Jaya at the end of December 1945. He was also actively involved as a member of the Independent Indonesia Committee in October 1946. In 1962, he was assigned by President Soekarno to participate in The New York Agreement
He was chosen as a member of MPRS to represent Irian Jaya’s in 1963-1968. After that, he dedicated his life as the titular major and seconded controller at the Jayapura Occupant. Marthen Indey died on July 17, 1986, and was awarded as an Indonesian National Hero in September 1993.
West Papua had been through a long journey before becoming a part of Indonesia. Without struggle and sacrifices for these four national heroes, maybe this province will never be reclaimed by Indonesia again. As a young generation, we should appreciate their struggles and make them a good example in defending our own country.
