West Papua was previously known as Irian Jaya. The island which is part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) is located in the easternmost part of Indonesia. West Irian or Papua is an Indonesian province located at the eastern tip of Indonesia.
The founding of Papua began with the Round Table Conference (KMB) held on December 27, 1949. Through KMB, the Netherlands was ready to give Indonesia sovereignty. However, both countries were still in conflict.
They still feel that they have the right to own land in Papua or West Irian. The Netherlands, still hoping to form the western part of Papua as a separate country, eventually brought this issue to the United Nations forum.
History records the struggle of Papua to finally unite with the Republic of Indonesia. It is not an easy thing because it requires bloodshed and struggle from the heroes who are native Papuan sons and daughters.
Frans Kaisiepo Hero from West Papua
Frans Kaisiepo is a Papuan son born in Wardo, Biak, Papua, 10 October 1921. He was involved in the 1946 Malino conference which discussed the formation of the United States of Indonesia as the representative of Papua.
He was also the first to raise the Indonesian National flag and sing the anthem “Indonesia Raya” in Papua. Unfortunately, he was imprisoned for five years for leading a rebellion against the Dutch in Biak.
He also proposed the name Irian, which in the word Biak means hot place. In addition, he also served as the Governor of Papua between 1964-1973. He was eventually remembered as an Indonesian national hero from West Papua, based on Presidential Decree number 077/TK/1993.
On 19 December 2016, his name and portrait were enshrined in the new Rupiah banknote in the IDR 10,000 denomination. He passed away on April 10, 1979 at the age of 57 and was buried in the Heroes Cemetery of Cendrawasih, Jayapura.
Silas Papare
Silas Papare is another native Papuan son who is designated a hero, he was born in Serui, Papua, December 18, 1918. He was once a fighter for the unification of Irian Jaya (Papua) into Indonesian territory. He died on March 7, 1979 at the age of 60 in Serui, Papua.
His name was enshrined as one of the Parchim-class Corvette Warships of the Indonesian Navy KRI Silas Papare, with hull number 386 and was also enshrined as the name of the Indonesian Air Force Air Base in Sentani, Jayapura as Silas Papare Jayapura Air Base.
He also established the Irian Struggle Agency in Yogyakarta in order to assist the government of the Republic of Indonesia to incorporate West Papua into the territory of the Republic of Indonesia in October 1949 in Yogyakarta.
He was also active in the National Front for the Liberation of West Irian (FNPIB) and was also asked by Soekarno to be one of the Indonesian delegates in the New York Agreement signed on August 15, 1962. A
fter that he was appointed a member of the MPRS (Temporary People’s Consultative Assembly) after the unification of West Papua. with RI. He received the title of National Hero on September 14, 1993 with Presidential Decree No.77/TK/1993.
Marthen Indey
Marthen Indey is the name of the next Papuan hero who took part in the independence of Indonesia. He is a Papuan son who was born on March 14, 1912 in Doromena. He helped prepare a rebellion against the Dutch in West Irian (now Irian Jaya) at the end of December 1945.
He also became a member of the Independent Indonesia Committee in October 1946. Marthen Indey flew to New York as one of the Indonesian delegates in December 1962 together with Silas Papare in the New York Agreement.
His career skyrocketed when he was elected as MPRS representing Irian Jaya in 1963-1968. Marthen also served as the titular major and seconded controller at the Jayapura Resident.
Marthen Indey died on July 17, 1986. He is remembered as one of Indonesian Natioanl heroes together with two other Papuan sons, namely Frans Kaisiepo and Silas Papare in September 1993.
Johannes Abraham Dimara
TNI Major Johannes Abraham Dimara was born in Korem, North Biak, Papua, April 16, 1916. In 1946, he participated in the Raising of the Red and White Flag in Namlea, Buru Island and participated in fighting for the return of the territory of West Papua to the Republic of Indonesia.
In 1950 he became chairman of the OPI (West Irian Liberation Organization), became a member of the TNI, infiltrated in 1954, was arrested by the Royal Netherlands Army, and was banished to Digul until his final release in 1960.
He passed away in Jakarta on October 20, 2000. He also received government awards in the form of the Satya Rankana Revolutionary War and Satya Ranka Bhakti and awarded as one of Indonesian National heroes from West Papua.
