The West Papua history timeline is a very interesting topic. While this province is slowly becoming one of Indonesia’s most beautiful tourist destinations, it isn’t always the exotic tropical paradise it is today. Learn about the territorial disputes surrounding the area through this article.
Pre-19th Century: Before Dutch Colonization
Settlement in the Papuan region is estimated to have begun between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago as Austronesian tribes migrated to the region. In the early seventh century, the Sumatra-based Sriwijaya Kingdom was involved in trade relations with the western part of Papua island. At its peak, the Majapahit Empire also conquered parts of Papua.
In the 16th century, European merchants started visiting Papua to acquire spices. Spanish settlers called the area Nueva Guinea (New Guinea) because of the resemblance of the locals to those on the Guinean coast in West Africa.
19th Century: Colonization Era
In 1828, the West Papua history timeline under Dutch colonial rule began. At that time, the area was called West Irian or Irian Barat. It became a part of the East Dutch East Indies, which later became Indonesia. Nevertheless, even after Indonesia declared independence in 1945, this area remained under Dutch colonial rule. Thus began a long-drawn territorial battle between the Netherlands and Indonesia.
20th Century – Now: Post-Indonesian Independence
Territorial Battle
Despite the Indonesian independence in 1945, the Netherlands only acknowledged it after the Round Table Conference on December 27, 1949. However, the destiny of West Irian remained uncertain. The Netherlands wants West Papua, which was then called the Netherlands New Guinea. To be an independent nation under its control. Conversely, Indonesia wants the entire land returned to the newly formed nation.
Rising pressure on the Netherlands, as well as the involvement of the United Nations (UN), resulted in the New York Agreement. Signed on August 15, 1962, the agreement specified that the Netherlands would hand over its authority of West Irian to the UN Temporary Executive Authority. Under UN supervision, the West Papua Indonesia rule began on December 31, 1962.
On May 1, 1963, the UN handed West Irian to Indonesia. However, it was only in 1969 that the people of West Irian voted in a referendum to remain part of Indonesia. Thus, the region began its history as an official part of Indonesia.
Becoming West Papua Province
West Irian became an Indonesian province. Later, in 1973, President Soekarno renamed it from Irian Barat to Irian Jaya. However, it was still one large administrative region that included both modern-day West Papua and Papua provinces. The split into two separate provinces only happened much later, well after the name Irian was changed into Papua by President Abdurrahman Wahid.
The first suggestion for a partition in West Papua history first arose in October 1999 under the rule of President Habibie. Originally, the idea was to divide the region into three separate provinces. But the plan was halted by demonstrations from the people of Papua.
The province’s split has been put on hold since then. The division of West Irian Jaya was only brought back again in 2002, at the request of the people of West Irian Jaya. In 2003, the split was complete and Papua was partitioned into two provinces. The eastern part is still called Papua Province, while the western part became West Irian Jaya Province. The capital of the new province is Manokwari.
The name West Papua was finalized on April 18, 2007. As West Irian Jaya Province changed its official name to the province of West Papua. This change concludes the modern West Papua history timeline and the name remains until today.
