Free Papua Movement
Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM)
Indonesia faces separatist and sectarian fighting in several parts of the far-flung archipelago, in addition to Papua, giving rise to fears the country could break apart. The government has taken a hard-line on separatist movements since it lost control of East Timor in 1999.
Irian Jaya, the former Dutch New Guinea or West New Guinea, remained under Dutch control after Indonesian independence in 1949. In 1961, in Operation Trikora, Indonesian forces took over West New Guinea, renaming it Irian Barat in the process. A combination of Indonesian political and military pressure and international efforts led to an October 1962 Dutch transfer of sovereignty to the United Nations (UN) Temporary Executive Authority, which was supported by a military observer force that oversaw the cease-fire. In May 1963, full administrative control was handed over to Indonesia. After a 1969 Act of Free Choice, the territory, which the Indonesians called Irian Barat (West Irian) until 1972, was integrated into the republic as Indonesia's twenty-sixth province. Rich in natural resources, Irian Jaya (Victorious Irian)--as the province was renamed in 1972--is the largest and least-populated province.
Opposition to Indonesian control has existed since 1963. This opposition takes two forms: those in favor of a federation with Papua New Guinea, and those whom prefer independence as West Papua or "West Melanesia." The 'Act of Free Choice' in 1969 involved little more than a small number of hand-picked indigeneous Papuans who were taught a few simple pro-Indonesian phrases in Indonesian language and then told to say them in front of an audience. It was not in any way a 'choice', or 'free', and certainly did not involve the consent of even a substantial minority of the population, let alone a majority.
Cultural differences between Indonesians and the indigenous population and complaints about the Javanization of Irian Jaya exacerbated tensions. The cultural conflict was aggravated by indigenous people's perceptions that they were being left behind economically by a flood of Indonesian immigrants coming in via the central government sponsored transmigration program. Native-born Irianese also resented the so-called spontaneous immigrants who dominated the informal sectors of urban economies. International critics of Indonesian policy in Irian Jaya accused the central government of waging a kind of demographic genocide.
Indonesia's efforts to exploit the resources and assimilate the indigenous Papuan and Melanesian populations into the national administration and culture met sporadic armed resistance from the Free Papua Movement and aroused international concerns. Since the 1960s the Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka or OPM), which has its own flag, has waged a low-level but diehard guerilla separatist campaign. The campaign peaked in the late 1970s with attacks on government outposts. Although the OPM became a marginal domestic actor, more visible as an international symbol, the fact of its existence justified an intimidating Indonesian military presence in the province, where suspicions about Irianese loyalties led to abuses in the civil-military relationship.
The US Government asserts that the Free Papua Movement has committed human rights abuses including hostage-taking and summary executions, and it may be targeting US citizens or US companies in Irian Jaya Province for hostage taking or for sabotage. In 1996, a group of foreigners was taken hostage in Irian Jaya by the Free Papua Movement, although they have since been released. In January 1997 the Free Papua Movement took 26 people hostage in Mapunduma village. Several of the hostages were released, but 11 Indonesians and foreigners were released after a military operation in May 1997. Two of the Indonesian hostages were believed to have been killed by the OPM during the release operation.
Free Papua Movement supporters assert, that human rights abuses have been committed by Indonesian Special Forces (KOMPASSUS), and that the US mining conglomerate Freeport McMoRan has been responsible for environmental abuses in West Papua.
In 1998, after the downfall of authoritarian President Suharto, there were signs that Jakarta was trying to improve relations with Papua. However, negotiations came to an abrupt halt in 2001 when members of the army murdered separatist leader Theys Eluay. Since then the gulf between the two sides has been widening. When Mr. Eluay's killers were convicted earlier in 2003, the head of the army described them as "heroes."
Forty years after Indonesia took over the former Dutch colony, tensions are running high in Papua, fueled in part a government decision to divide the province in two. Jakarta says the move makes it easier to administer the huge area. Some critics, however, say there are other motives. What there is now is outrage of an unprecedented level with Jakarta for this effort to divide the province with an almost explicitly stated motivation of weakening the political independence movement.
On 01 December 2003 separatists in Indonesia's Papua province marked what they consider independence day by defying a government ban on raising their flag. Recent administrative changes imposed by Jakarta have increased tensions in the province, and there seems to be no sign that discontent with Indonesian rule is easing. A group of about five hundred separatist sympathizers raised the Papua independence flag on Monday morning. Despite a government ban on flag-raising ceremonies, and a military order to shoot demonstrators, the ceremony passed peacefully. Over the previous few days, however, 42 people have been arrested for similar acts of defiance and could face life in prison.
Rebels from the poorly armed military wing of the independence movement have made a number of small attacks during 2003. Analysts, however, say military force is unlikely to end the dispute.
On 12 December 2006, after a series of brief clashes with rebels, the Indonesian military demanded the surrender of the OPM. In anticipation of increased fighting and an influx of troops, Mulia more or less shut down.
