Freddy H Toam Calls the Integration of Papua into Indonesia Final Since May 1, 1968

Papuan religious leader and historian, Pastor Freddy H. Toam said that the integrity of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia occurred after 18 years of Indonesia's independence, precisely on May 1, 1963. But the legal and official integration of Papua into the Unitary Republic of Indonesia was always brought up by Papuans from extreme left groups claim that Papuans have never been involved in the struggle for independence and consider Papuans to be victims of arrest and coercion to become part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

Freddy also said, “They are of the view that the political integration of the Land of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia is an invasive act through Indonesian political and military aggression. The excessive Papuan sentiment always feels that integration is a new form of Indonesian colonization of Papuan land and people. This point of view is sharpened by the reality of racial differences, skin color, facial shape and hair and other habits that are very different from the average Indonesian people.

On the refutation of this sentiment, there is a critical historical view that is rooted in some Papuans. This critical historical view is especially among Protestant theologians who see the political integration of the Land of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia as a road map designed by the hand of God Almighty or referred to as God's Motivation.

“The basic framework of the thoughts of these Protestant theologians is based on the historical background of the Land of Papua and the encounters of Papuans with other nations in the world. In other words, it can be said as reading God's motivation in the history of the Land of Papua," said Freddy.

There are differences of opinion among historians about when Papua began to be inhabited. However, theologians argue that the important role of other nations around the Land of Papua cannot and should not be ignored. Because the openness of the Land of Papua is due to the pioneering work of other nations.

Call it European travelers and Chinese merchants who milled about in Papuan waters from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. Not to mention the dark story of the buying and selling of Papuan slaves and the voyages of Papuan pirates long before.

As mentioned by pastor Dr FC Kamma. It is said that Papuans work on Tidore's boats as rowers. The farthest voyage they made, which is known from official data, they sailed as far as the Java Sea. Even the Malacca peninsula and its surroundings and threaten trade routes in the Java Sea to the Malacca Strait.

"In addition, historical records of contacts of indigenous Papuans with foreign nations can also be sniffed out through various other relics, which in the opinion of the Archaeological Center of Papua are confirmed to be around 3500-2500 years ago. For example, the funnel ax and round eye ax artifacts in the Lake Sentani area," explained Freddy.

Papuan Protestant theologians also noted some historical critical thoughts on the integration of the Land of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia as follows:

First, the integration of Papua into Indonesia was prepared by God the historical leader long before May 1, 1963.

"God established a linear historical line between the Land of Papua and the islands to the west of Papua, namely Indonesia, and not vice versa, to the east with the Pacific islands or to the south with the Australian continent," Freddy continued.

He continued, nor to the North with the Japanese islands. Instead, the first missionaries (missionaries) came to Papua, came from Batavia (Jakarta), studied Indonesian (Malay) in Batavia, before going to Tidore as the final base for Papua.

"According to Indonesian historian Des Alwi, in Tidore in 1825 there were 25,000 Papuans living and working there and on other islands from North Maluku to North Sulawesi," continued Freddy.

The Papuans were slaves traded by the Papuan Mambris to the Sultan of Tidore and by the sultan to the Portuguese Colonists. Then, the Dutch were also entrepreneurs of coconut, clove and nutmeg plantations or were employed as rowers for traveling boats.

"Secondly, long before political integration on May 1, the use of Malay (now Indonesian) had been widely used by Papuans as a language of communication between communities, especially Papuans in the West-Southeast part of the Cenderawasih Bay (Saireri)," explained a prominent figure. that religion.

Third, in historical records, Papua was once the territory of the Kingdom of Spain, when Inigo Ortiz de Retes 1545 planted the Spanish flag in Muara Mamberamo and named the Land of Papua as Nova Guinea.

“In 1793, British troops under the leadership of Captain John Hayes built a settlement in Manokwari, a fort which was named Fort Coronation. Furthermore, the Dutch stationed an army in Triton Bay, Southwest of Papua and named the settlement of the Dutch troops as Fort Du Bus,” explained Pastor Freddy.

Freddy explained, Fort Du Bus Fort was inaugurated on August 24, 1828, where this fort was a fortress as the first defense base made by the government at that time.

Fourth, the Papuans who are currently referred to as Indonesians do not have an emotional relationship, let alone a socio-economic and political relationship with their brothers and sisters in the eastern part of Papua. The independence of the eastern part of the Land of Papua to become the state of Papua New Guinea did not attract the interest of Indonesian Papuans to join or combine these two regions into one country even though they were only adjacent to the mainland.

"From a few historical records as written above, it can be concluded that the direction of movement of socio-cultural activities out and into the Papua region comes from the West Papua region, namely from Indonesia," he said.

SOURCE: https://harianterkini.com/2022/05/freddy-sebut-integration-papua-ke-ri-final/