The West Papua Liberation Movement and Indigenous Ecological Sovereignty
(By Rio Kogoya, Kaum Muda Papua Progresif (KMP2))
The historical development of the ideology of the people of West Papua cannot be separated from our traditional beliefs, customs and relations to nature that exist and developed within the community. Our first fight was against the western beliefs. According to a report published in 1863 by Ottow and Geisler, F. C Kamma, Christian Missionaries who served in Papua, Indigenous theological resistance was present against Zendeling and western Christian Missionaries. (1)
The first local belief that showed its resistance and fought for liberation was the Koreri movement from Biak Island, West Papua. Koreri believed in Manarkameri/Manseren Manggundi as a savior that would come and bring justice, peace and prosperity. The resistance occurred during the Japanese occupation in 1942-1946. The Koreri movement in the Biak region was the most spectacular and influential at the time. The movement itself was led by Angganitha Menufandu. She dubbed herself the “Golden Queen of Judea” and she also ordained herself as the prophetess of Manseren Manggoendi. The Koreri movement later transformed from a mystical to an independence movement. There is also indigenous theology from mountain peoples such as the Hai (Amugme tribe), the Ugatame (Mee tribe), and the Aber Niki (Dani tribe). (2)
The accumulated experiences of this history of beliefs and violence has influenced the indigenous Papuans in our ideological development. West Papua gained our independence on December 1st, 1961, and a few weeks later on December 19th Indonesian troops under Soekarno came and seized the territory through a military operation called Operasi Trikora. It was the beginning of violence, military operations, genocide, ecocide and a long struggle by Indigenous Papuans to reclaim our freedom that had been stolen. During a series of military operations in West Papua from 1961 until today (3), 3 million indigenous Papuans, men, women and children have died and lost our ancestral land while our cultural relations with nature have also been destroyed.
West Papua became part of Indonesia through a referendum called the Act of Free Choice (Pepera) in 1969, which was widely criticized because there wasn't meaningful participation of indigenous Papuans. The referendum came into existence after a long dispute between the Netherlands and the Indonesian government over West Papua. It was initiated by the United States of America who were afraid of the influence of the Soviet Union on Indonesia at that time (Cold War). Finally, the US pushed the Dutch government to negotiate with Indonesia over West Papua in New York. This was done without involving Papuans even though what was discussed was our fate. The negotiations resulted in an agreement called the New York Agreement on August 15th, 1962.
Some of the points of the New York Agreement included the Dutch having to hand over Papua to the UN agency, the United Nation Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) no later than October 1st, 1962. The agreement was also the basis for the Pepera in 1969. In the New York Agreement, the referendum had to be held with a one person one vote system. In other words, every Papuan were to have a voice to determine their choice.
However, Pepera did not function as hoped. It was not carried out as outlined by the New York Agreement because the one person one vote system was not applied. Only 1.025 people were chosen to represent 800.000 native Papuans at the time in Pepera. In its implementation there were also a lot of threats and intimidation by the Indonesian military against the participants, most of whom were indigenous Papuans, to vote in favor of becoming part of Indonesia.
Ecological Destruction and The Liberation Movement
Ecology is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environments. It seeks to understand the vital connections between plants and animals and the world around them. With the presence of capitalism, western imperialism and colonialism has obscured the relations between indigenous Papuans and nature. (4)
The colonial state of Indonesia and the US imperialists seem to have had an economic interest in West Papua. Two years before the Pepera began on April 7, 1967, the Indonesian government signed a copper mining concession with the US company Freeport Sulphur of Delaware (now PT Freeport Indonesia). Freeport then dredged Mount Nemangkawi, an area that is now part of Mimika Regency, Papua. Mount Namengkawi was home for the indigenous Amungme tribes. The operation successfully destroyed the relations of the Amugme people with nature and all beings that lived within.
In Amungme mythology, it is believed that sacred beings live around Mount Nemangkawi who have the power to bring fertility, wealth, healing and help in overcoming life's difficulties. Legends in the Tsinga valley also suggest that Nemangkawi is considered a Honai, the residence of one of the valley's leading clans. The religious relationship to the mountain is strong, with the summit of Nemangkawi seen as the connecting door between heaven and the world of people. The Amungme believe that every individual who dies will go to the summit of Nemangkawi as a pathway to heaven. This belief gives a deep spiritual dimension to the mountain.
Some sacred places around Nemangkawi have changed function. For example, Peyukate is now known as Ridge Camp and Mile 72 as Grasberg. These changes reflect the transformation of places that were previously considered sacred and places of worship into part of the company's activities. The Amungme tribe, especially those living in the three valleys (Waa, Tsinga and Arwanop), feel lost and disappointed at the loss without reasonable compensation. PT Freeport Indonesia is linked to the first visit of European explorer Carstensz in 1623. The high peak that Carstensz saw while anchored off the Mimika coast, a snow-capped peak, was named Carstenzs Peak. However, the change of name by the Indonesian government has led to different meanings, creating a lack of recognition of the identity and existence of the Amungme people. (5)
Solidarity is the Key
There are so many examples of how the western imperialist countries with the support of the colonial state of Indonesia tries to destroy the lives of indigenous people in West Papua. It attempts to destroy the unity of the people and our sacred relations with nature by all means.
Racism, discrimination, killings and other acts of violence against humanity have been the colonizer's language. So the fight for national liberation has been our duty and our right of resistance and survival. Papuan youth today are starting to organize themself in cities, mountains and abroad as tools for liberation. We believe that crimes against humanity are a matter of all nations, that is why this struggle belongs to all of us. Asian, Indonesian, African, Arabian, Kurdish, Pacifican, yes all of us. Solidarity is the key for freedom and liberation of people. We believe that it is only by the liberation of West Papua from capitalism, imperialism and colonialism that the protection of ecology can certainly be achieved.
(1) Kamma, F. C., Koreri. (1972). Messianic Movements in The Biak-Numfor Area, The Hague, Martinus Nijhoff.(2) Giay, Benny. (1996a). ’Masyarakat Amungme Irian Jaya, Modernisasi dan Agama Resmi: Sebuah Model Pertemuan’. Majalah Deiyai Januari-Februari 1996. Giay,
(4) https://www.esa.org/about/what-does-ecology-have-to-do-with-me/#:~:text=Ecology%20is%20the%20stu dy%20of,and%20the%20world%20around%20them
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