West Papua Information Kit

Tom Allard

National Affairs Editor for Sydney Morning Herald


A fancier of those guantly dogs that shiver on cold nights and look to passing humans in hope of somewhere warm to go.
2015 August 14
Papuan independence leader Filep Karma to be released from prison next week

A well writ piece on Filep Karma and latest Indonesian hope for Filep and the Papuan community to end their demands for self-determination and independence.

Only factual error of note being the presistant newspaper fantasy that West Papua "was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969".
Source of fantasy: Reuters newsfeed in November 1969
Factual corrections:

- West Papua was incorporated into United Nations affairs in General Assembly resolution 1752.
- Sovereignty of West Papua was recognised by United Nations as consequence of res.1752 as belonging to the West Papua people who were not foreign nationals.
- United Nations in 1962 did not buy or sell people of West Papua.
- United Nations in 1962 decided to impose its choice of UN troops and member states to administrate West Papua, see res.1752.
- United Nations membership by imposing itself on West Papua made itself legally responsible for aiding West Papua towards "self-government or indendence", see UN Charter article 76.
- No legal authority (ICJ) has recognised any change in the sovereignty of West Papua.
- West Papua is still a UN trust territory being administrated by Indonesia on our behalf, see UN Administrative History summary.
- Indonesia had sold 30 year mining 'rights' in 1967 to Freeport director who organised the New York Agreement and UN trusteeship on behalf of Indonesia in 1962.
- Indonesia in May 1963 asked Australia to deport medical and other West Papuan students to Indonesia.
- Indonesia in another violation of its UN Charter article 76 obligations in September 1963 declared the territory to be a restricted territory.
- Indonesia in political rhetoric has claimed since 1950s that West Papua is part of Indonesia.
- Indonesia in legally abandoned all claims to West Papua when it supported UN General Assembly resolution 1752.
- Indonesia has implemented a de-facto incorporation of West Papua since 1963.
- Indonesia has NEVER told the United Nations of its claim since 1962 that West Papua is now part of Indonesia **.

Note: ** After twenty years I have never found any UN record of Indonesia telling the UN that West Papua is now part of its Republic, or any record of the UN endorsing any change of sovereignty since acknowledging the Papuan people's sovereignty in General Assembly resolution 1752. If anybody ever finds any such UN records, please urgently advise me of those.
Resolutions of interest in the United Nations General Assembly
448 1514 1541 1752 2504

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
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